By Sam Robinson, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@altaine)
Ring of Honor on HonorClub (Episode 84)
Taped October 2, 2024 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania at Petersen Events Center
Streamed October 3, 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 opened with a rundown of the matches that will air during this episode…
1. ROH Six-Man Champions Dustin Rhodes, Marshall Von Erich, and Ross Von Erich vs. “The Premier Athletes” Tony Nese, Ariya Daivari, and Mark Sterling in a Proving Ground match. Sterling said on the way to the ring that he had to wrestle if his men wanted a proving ground match, so he was in the ring, but no one would lay a hand on him. Daivari and Marshall ran into each other and then Marshall hit a shoulder block and hip toss. Ross tagged in and Marshall hit a dropkick for Ross to get a two count.
Daivari got the upperhand and tagged in Sterling. Sterling hit a scoop slam but when Ross stood up, Sterling fled back to the apron. Nese came in and ate a double dropkick from the Von Erichs to give up a two count. Nese hit a dropkick of his own after some fumbling around about an Irish whip. The Athletes started a beatdown in the corner that drew out Marshall and Dustin and Sterling got in some chokes from the apron.
Sterling tagged in and stomped Ross in the corner. Nese tagged in and knocked Marshall off the apron. Ross fought out of the bad corner and Nese ran into Sterling. Ross hit an enzuigiri and hit the hot tag to Dustin and there was no one left but Sterling. Sterling got tossed into the ring and begged off and rolled out of the ring when Daivari came in for the save. Daivari and Nese got all of Dustin’s signature offense including the powerslams and a Destroyer on Nese. Sterling cut off Rhodes from doing his Curtain Call and then got surrounded by all three champions who set him up for Shattered Dreams. Nese and Diviari came in and got Claws from the Von Erichs. Sterling got hit with Shattered Dreams and then Dustin also hit him with his twisting suplex for the pinfall.
Dustin Rhodes, Marshall Von Erich, and Ross Von Erich defeated “The Premier Athletes” Tony Nese, Ariya Daivari, and Mark Sterling in a Proving Ground match by pinfall 7:30.
Robinson’s Ruminations: A totally serviceable six-man match. The most amusing thing here is that Sterling seems to be more of a natural in the ring than Jacked Jameson, who they’ve been giving every rep in the world to and he just still looks stiff and green.
A commercial aired for the WrestleDream PPV focused on the Bryan Danielson vs. Jon Moxley feud…
Match announcements were made for Mark Briscoe defending the ROH World championship against Chris Jericho, and Atlantis Jr. defending the ROH TV Title against Brian Cage at WrestleDream. The TV title match will be on the Zero Hour pre-show…
2. Nyla Rose vs. Katie Arquette. No televised entrance for Arquette. Arquette fought out of a choke with a headbutt and tried a shoulder block only to be flattened with a clothesline. Rose Biel tossed Arquette across the ring and hit a corner splash and Biel tossed her again. Rose hit a cannon ball and then a senton splash in the middle. A Beast Bomb later and the match was over.
Nyla Rose defeated Katie Arquette by pinfall in 1:30.
Robinson’s Ruminations: This was a basic squash match.
Backstage, Lexi Nair told us that they were planning a celebration for Athena’s longest title reign ever. While she and Athena talked, Billie sulked. Athena asked what was her problem. Athena said she trusted her to take care of Abadon. Athena said she was jealous of her and Lexi. Billie snapped and said Athena was the problem. Athena talked about the recent times when Billie let her down. Athena then said she was welcome to come to the celebration or not. “Whatever”, said Billie as she walked off. Athena told Lexi to go talk to Billie and complained about “these kids” as Abadon snuck up behind her. Abadon just smiled creepily, reached out and touched Athena’s hair as Athena walked off…
3. Anthony Henry and Beef vs. Anthony Catena and Wes Barkley. No televised entrance for Catena and Barkley. Henry and Barkley did a small amount of chain wrestling and Henry snagged a hot tag to Beef who came in and hit a Thesz press. Beef ran Barkley’s head into the turnbuckle. Barkley hit a jaw jacker and tagged out. Catena threw some chops at Beef, who fired up and hit a damn drop kick. Henry tagged in and hit a spinning wheel kick. Henry hit a scoop slam and his neck twist.
Riccaboni said he’s been talking to JD Drake as Catena hit a neckbreaker and tagged out. Barkley hit a clothesline and a spin wheel kick. Henry hit a sky high powerbomb to get a broken up nearfall. Beef came in punched both men and hit a double clothesline. Beef and Henry tried back body drops, but the jobbers tried sunset flips, but they sat down on them. Beef hit a crossbody to Catena who was on the ropes he called “Sloppy Steak” and Henry hit Barkley with a double stomp off the top for the pinfall.
Anthony Henry and Beef defeated Anthony Catena and Wes Barkley by pinfall in 4:15.
Robinson’s Ruminations: They are still building the foundation of the Henry and Beef team, so the squash match took a little while. The story here is they are developing chemistry. I’m intrigued to see what happens when JD Drake comes back, but that’s probably only because I’m a Workhorsmen fan. That said, Beef’s energy is infectious.
4. “The Infantry” Carlie Bravo and Shawn Dean vs. “The Outrunners” Turbo Floyd and Truth Magnum. Magnum hit a hip toss on Bravo. Both men tagged out to their partners. Dean hit a pair of arm drags. Floyd ran into the turnbuckle but reversed an arm drag into an arm bar. After some leapfrogs Floyd hit an arm drag for a two count. Bravo tagged in and so did Magnum who hit an arm drag. Magnum lit up Bravo with a chop. Magnum hit a backslide on Bravo for a two count. Magnum hit a back roll for a two count. Magnum hit a sunset flip for a two count and Bravo got really mad.
The Infantry hit a double arm drag and fist drop for a two count. Bravo hit some chops in the corner. Bravo hit a float over vertical suplex for a two count. Dean hit a scoop slam to boos to cut off the tag. Dean hit an elbow drop for a two count. Bravo missed an ax kick, Dean missed a corner splash, they both missed a double clothesline and Magnum got the hot tag to Floyd who hit punches and body slams to the delight of the crowd. Floyd posed too much and got hit with a kick to the head and a DDT. Infantry tried Boot Camp, but Magnum pulled the leg and Outrunners hit Total Recall on Dean for the pinfall.
“The Outrunners” Turbo Floyd and Truth Magnum defeated “The Infantry” Carlie Bravo and Shawn Dean by pinfall in 6:00.
After the match, The Outrunners put out their hands and Infantry did shake them before sliding out of the ring quickly…
Robinson’s Ruminations: I guess since the meme tag team is taking off, The Infantry is going to be turning heel. I think it’ll work. Bravo certainly has enough facial expression prowess to make me believe in them as heels. The match was a little slow, but I wonder if that’s Infantry learning how to work heel.
Backstage, Beef grabbed a camera man and Anthony Henry and told them they were going to cut a promo. Henry told Beef they aren’t a tag team. Beef asked when he’s going to get to meet JD Drake. Beef asked for Drake’s number, Henry said no…
5. Samoa Joe vs. Kenta Kobashi in a October 1, 2005 flashback match. This match was overdubbed by Riccaboni and Coleman. The entrances were completely silent save for commentary, which I imagine is due to muisc copyright issues. The entrances were used to tell the history of each competitor to that time. Joe opened up with leg kicks but Kobashi just ate them. Joe slapped Kobashi in the face. Kobashi chopped Joe in the corner and it sounded like a gun shot. The men did a knuckle lock in the middle and Joe hit a northern lights suplex and a shoulder tackle. Joe hit a baseball slide drop kick and a suicide dive to the outside.
Back in the ring Joe got a one count nearfall. Joe hit a scoop slam and an elbow drop for a two count. Joe locked in a crossface in the middle. Joe transitioned into an Eastern Stretch and Kobashi used a rope break to escape. Joe hit some chops in the corner and that just fired him up. Kobashi returned fire. Joe hit some chest kicks and a leaping enzuigiri to send Kobashi to the mat. Joe hit some kicks to the head but Kobashi returned fire with chops. Joe hit some knee strikes to the head that put Kobashi down again.
Joe hit a PK and a knee drop and Kobashi rolled outside. Joe put Kobashi in a chair at ringside and kicked him. Joe got a running start and hit a face wash kick. Joe tried it again but Kobashi cut him off with some kicks. Kobashi chopped Joe into the crowd. Kobashi pulled Joe back over the barricade and hit a DDT on the floor. Back in the ring, Kobashi locked in a chancery but Joe got to the ropes to escape. Kobashi hit more gun shot chops.
Kobashi did some follow in knee lifts and a back leaning chop. Kobashi hit some falling chops on a prone Joe for a two count. Kobashi locked in another chancery and Joe got the ropes again to escape. Joe hit a vertical suplex. The men traded strikes, chops and kicks as the crowd went nuts. Kobashi got the better of the exchange with a final chop to the shoulder to send Joe to the mat.
Kobashi got a two count when Joe grabbed the ropes. Kobashi locked in an abdominal stretch and Joe fell into the ropes to escape. Kobashi hit another falling chop for a two count. Kobashi locked in a crossface rest hold too and transitioned into a knee in the back and ended it with a chop. Kobashi hit more chops to the neck and tried a spinning one but Joe countered with an STO.
Joe hit some strikes in the corner and caught his breath on the ropes for a second. Joe hit a buckle bomb in the corner and face wash kicked him in the corner. Joe put Kobashi on the top and hit Muscle Buster for a two count. Joe threw knees to the head and tried his sleeper but Kobashi rolled out. Joe hit his powerbomb and rolled right into the STF, but Kobashi fought the hands being locked. Once Joe locked the hands, Kobashi crawled to the ropes, but Joe kept transitioning holds. Kobashi eventually got the rope break. Joe charged at Kobashi, who cut him off with a chop and then hit a half and half suplex for a double down.
Kobashi was the first to his feet and lit up Joe with machine gun chops in the corner. Kobashi hit some double palm strikes. Kobashi hit another half and half suplex and got another two count when Joe grabbed the ropes again. Joe fired up and hit some forearms, but Kobashi locked in a sleeper. Kobashi hit a sleeper suplex that put Joe on his head and he got a two count for it. Joe fired up with some slaps to the face but Kobashi came back with some spinning chops and a clothesline for the pinfall.
Kenta Kobashi defeated Samoa Joe by pinfall in 21:00.
Jay Lethal checked on Joe. Kobashi picked Joe up and put him in the corner to shake his hand and raise his arm…
Robinson’s Ruminations: What a fun look at history through the lens of fresh commentary. And what a good main event call from Riccaboni and Coleman. The match is that main event, strong style that doesn’t work for everyone. I don’t think my match description provided the true feeling of just how intense the match was. Also, the small intimate night club atmosphere also made it feel more visceral than the polished arena stuff we’re getting from modern ROH.
6. Mark Briscoe vs. Matt Taven (w/ Mike Bennett) for the ROH World Championship. Taven used the Code of Honor to school boy Briscoe for a two count, but he fled to ringside after the kickout to do some stalling. Taven tried a sunset flip but Briscoe flipped through and locked in a headlock. Taven ducked a clothesline but ran into a double hand chop. The men shook hands, but Taven used it to jump Briscoe again. Briscoe hit a kung fu chop and pulled Taven to the floor. Briscoe hit the spicy dropkick and set up for the pepsi plunge but Bennett distracted him.
Briscoe fought off Taven from behind and hit his rolling blockbuster off the apron. Back in the ring, Briscoe hit a middle rope dropkick and a DVD. Briscoe went up top but missed Froggy-bow. Taven hit his disaster kick and worked some mounted punches. Taven choked Briscoe on the ropes and then hit a vertical suplex and a rolling neckbreaker for a two count. Taven locked in a chinlock but Briscoe fought to his feet. Taven just knocked Briscoe down with a forearm. Taven hit a step up enzuigiri and a Purple Thunder for a two count. Taven talked some trash before trying a Lionsault, but Briscoe got the knees up. Briscoe hit some forearms and his redneck kung fu chop.
Briscoe hit a shoulder block but ran right into a superkick. Taven went to the top but Briscoe cut him off, pulled him down and hit a t-bone suplex for a two count. Taven rolled out of a sunset flip attempt and hit Just the Tip for a two count. Taven went to the top rope and hit a frog splash for a two count. Taven went back to the top and tried the frog splash again, but ate the knees of Briscoe. Briscoe went up top and tried Froggy Bow, but Taven put his knees up and it caused a double down. Briscoe fired up and hit a fisherman’s buster for a two count. Briscoe hit a Jay Driller and got the pinfall.
Mark Briscoe defeated Matt Taven in 9:40 to retain the ROH World Championship.
After the match, Briscoe held up a Briscoe Brothers flag as Bennett checked on Taven. Briscoe offered the handshake to Taven and they hugged. The Kingdom duo put Briscoe on their shoulders…
Robinson’s Ruminations: What a weird choice to put that match on after a classic like Kobashi and Joe. This was just a formula nine minute match between two veterans where you didn’t doubt the outcome. It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t exciting either, especially when the crowd was just mildly into the action. Such a big contrast to the rabid crowd of old for Kobashi vs. Joe.
The overall show is nothing special. You can go back to the archives and watch old matches if you want, but putting them on your weekly show is a choice. Giving the classic matches fresh commentary is nice and certainly helpful, but showing the old matches really just gives a big spotlight to the problem of modern ROH’s the lack of crowd enthusiasm. My weekly ROH on HonorClub audio reviews are available exclusively for Dot Net Members (including our Patreon patrons).
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