By Sam Robinson, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@altaine)
Ring of Honor on HonorClub (Episode 90)
Taped November 7, 2024 in Providence, Rhode Island at Amica Mutual Pavilion
Streamed November 14, 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 the matches…
1. “Gates of Agony” Toa Liona and Bishop Kaun vs. John Silver and Alex Reynolds (w/Evil Uno) vs. “Grizzled Young Veterans” Zack Gibson and James Drake vs. “The Kingdom” Matt Taven and Mike Bennett. Kaun got a quick double leg and mounted punches on Taven who came back with a drop kick. Taven hit a gourdbuster and Bennett hit a Bayonet for a soft two count. Gates hit a superkick German combo for a broken up two count by Drake.
After some quick tags Dark Order hit some double basement drop kicks on Gibson. GYT hit some tandem offense on Dark Order including a dropkick that dropped Reynolds off the apron. Silver hit a suplex on Drake and then had to tag Taven in because Reynolds was nowhere to be found. Taven hit a flurry of offense on GYT.
Then Kingdom hit some offense on Gibson including a DVD and a Just the Tip for a broken up two count by Gates. Kingdom and Gates traded punches, superkicks and clotheslines. Gates hit Open the Gates on Bennett but they got pulled out of the ring after and tossed into ring steps, while Gibson rolled up Bennett for a two count. Silver went running around ringside hitting everyone out there with strikes and then went up top, hit the flying nothing and rolled right into Bennett. Kingdom then hit Silver with the spike piledriver for the pinfall.
Matt Taven and Mike Bennett defeated “Gates of Agony” Toa Liona and Bishop Kaun, John Silver and Alex Reynolds, and “Grizzled Young Veterans” Zack Gibson and James Drakewon in a four-way tag match by pinfall in 8:00.
After the match, Gates and Kingdom were left in the ring and observed the Code of Honor. Fascinating…
Robinson’s Ruminations: Fine use of the Dark Order as fall guys where you didn’t really want anyone else to lose. Kingdom winning is fine, but I definitely would have preferred another team winning here.
A recap aired from last week when The Righteous brawled with Dustin Rhodes and Sammy Guevara…
2. “The Sons of Texas” Dustin Rhodes and Sammy Guevara vs. “Shot Through the Heart” DJ Crawford and Love Doug. Rhodes hit a quick shoulder tackle on Doug and got a one count for it. Rhodes hit Crawford with a clothesline and tagged Sammy who hit a top rope cross body for a two count. Sammy backflipped and hit a dropkick to send the jobbers to the outside and then hit a dive and landed in the Tranquillo pose. Back in the ring Sammy hit the no look cutter and Dustin hit a shining wizard. Sammy hit a standing moonsault and Dustin hit his snap powerslam. Dustin hit his spinning suplex and Sammy hit GTH simultaneously for the pinfall.
Dustin Rhodes and Sammy Guevara beat “Shot Through the Heart” DJ Crawford and Love Doug by pinfall in 3:00.
After the match, “The Righteous” Vincent and Dutch blindsided Rhodes and Guevara. The Righteous hit a really interesting DVD style double team move and then Dutch hit Dustin with the Black Hole Slam. Dutch grabbed a cow bell and blasted Dustin in the face with it…
Robinson’s Ruminations: Looks like we have a bull rope match incoming.
A backstage promo from Learning Tree with Renee Young aired. Big Bill spouted platitudes and Jericho thanked him. Chris Jericho brought up his 30 year history with Tomohiro Ishii and then his match with him from two years ago. Jericho accepted the challenge and touted his accolades. Jericho name dropped Jay Briscoe again as Renee rolled her eyes…
3. Griff Garrison and Preston Vance vs. “Waves and Curls Trevon” Jaylen Brandyn and Traevon Jordan. Vance hit a shoulder block but then Jordan did a ripcord and did the Wave dance but then ate a clothesline. Brandyn came in and tried to chop Vance but then laid down. Vance picked him up and hit a wheelbarrow slingshot suplex. Garrison stomped Brandyn in the corner and then taunted the dancing again. Jordan helped block a turnbuckle whip on Brandyn.
Brandyn struggled out of a powerbomb attempt but then ate a clothesline from Garrison. Vance hit Brandon with a stalling suplex. Brandyn tried to slip out for the hot tag but Vance pulled Jordan off the apron. Brandyn missed a dive on Vance when his feet snagged but he landed safe and Vance just chopped him down. Vance carried Brandyn up the steps and then slammed him over the ropes. Garrison and Vance hit tandem discus moves and got the pinfall…
Preston Vance and Griff Garrison defeated Waves and Curls Trevon” Jaylen Brandyn and Traevon Jordan in 4:00.
Robinson’s Ruminations: A new team that I’m down for. I guess Cole Karter is gone with Maria? The announcers did wish Maria well as she dealt with “issues”.
A quick video package recapped The Infantry joining Shane Taylor Promotions and their heel turn…
4. Aaron Solo vs. Katsuyori Shibata. Solo jumped Shibata as he entered the ring and the bell rang. Solo tossed Shibata outside and followed him and ran him into the barricades. Solo hit a suplex on the floor. Solo tossed Shibata in the ring, but then Shibata hit a running big boot to send Solo back to the floor. Shibata hit some running big boots against the barricade and returned the suplex on the floor two times over.
Back in the ring, the men traded chops and forearms but then Shibata hit a running big boot in the corner. Shibata reddened the chest of Solo with more chops and then hit his running dropkick and a half hatch suplex for a two count. Shibata hit more forearms but Solo caught one and hit an exploder suplex for a two count. Shibata tried an abdominal stretch but Solo blocked so Shitbata rolled around and locked in the octopus instead for the tap out.
Katsuyori Shibata defeated Aaron Solo by submission in 4:15.
Robinson’s Ruminations: Quick showcase for Shibata. Solo is just a jobber to the mid-carders.
5. Josh Woods (w/Mark Sterling) vs. Komander (w/Alex Abrahantes). On the way to the ring Sterling cut his heel mic work opening with “The Premier Athletes are winners…” (and I couldn’t have rolled my eyes harder). Woods did some chain wrestling and got a couple of quick one count near falls out of it before Komander scurried under the ropes. Komander did some back handsprings and then low bridged Woods to the outside and dove on him through the ropes. Back in the ring Woods got the knee up in the gut of Komander and tossed him to the floor where Sterling put the boots to him. Abrahantes ran off Sterling.
Woods through Komander into the barricade and then back in the ring. Woods hit some elbows in the corner and then a big t-bone suplex for a two count. Woods choked Komander on the ropes and then distracted the ref so Sterling could too, but Abrahantes ran him off again. Woods got a two count nearfall and then locked in a chin lock. Komander fought to his feet but ate an elbow to the back. Komander fought back with some kicks and a step up enzuigiri. Komander tried the lucha rope walking but Woods pushed him down to the apron, but Komander hit a springboard crossbody for a two count. Komander tried a springboard move but Woods intercepted with a big knee lift for a super close two count.
Woods tossed Komander to ringside and tried for a barricade throw but Komander stepped up and hit a jumping head scissors into the ring post. Woods was holding his head as the ref checked on him and Komander tried a dive, but Sterling pulled the leg. Komander chased Sterling into the ring and Abrahantes gave him a spear. Woods threw Abrahantes out and Komander hit an around the world DDT and went up top. Komander hit a rope walking shooting star that was a bit short for the pinfall. The announcers called it a shooting star headbutt
Komander defeated Josh Woods by pinfall in 6:50.
Robinson’s Ruminations: That was a fun action packed seven minutes. Woods lost, but there was a reason for it and it was all the shenanigans from Sterling.
“MxM” Mansoor and Mason Madden had a vignette about opposites attracting and promoting their new t-shirts. Plenty more sexual innuendo here…
6. Abadon vs. Viva Van. Van slapped the face of Abadon instead of shaking hands. Abadon hit a scorpion kick and then threw a ton of clotheslines in the corner. Abadon hit a running meteora. Van did some redirection rope running and then hit a pinwheel kick for a one count. Van grabbed a sloppy camel clutch and grabbed the hair. Abadon fought out and hit a swing out slam. Abadon hit a pendulum codebreaker. Van fought back with increasing intensity strikes but Abadon hit a surprise cutter for a double down. Abadon sat up, cracked her neck and hit Black Dahlia for the pinfall.
Abadon defeated Viva Van by pinfall in 2:40.
Robinson’s Ruminations: A quick match to give Abadon a win to keep her semi strong after her loss to Athena. Van continues to impress me even in quick matches like this.
Backstage, Lexi Nair asked Billie Starkz if she was ready to apologize to Athena. Athena slid into frame and insulted the cute top Billie was wearing. Athena asked Lexi about their world tour. Leila Grey came in and said “nobody is better than Top Flight.” Everyone but Grey chuckled at that and Athena agreed to a Proving Ground match for next week. Athena said she’d make an example out of her. Athena and Lexi walked off without Billie…
A throwback match aired featuring Athena’s first Proving Ground match from March 16th 2023 from Orlando, Florida…
Robinson’s Ruminations: Still not recapping the throwback matches, especially not ones I’ve probably already covered.
7. “The Righteous” Vincent and Dutch vs. Sammy Diaz and Matt Raymond. Vincent kicked Raymond in the gut instead of the code of honor. Vincent hit a running back elbow as the announcers talked about Dutch being mentored by Dusty. Vincent hit an around the world Russian leg sweep. Dutch hit a running splash in the corner and then Righteous hit tandem splashes. Dutch hit wrist control clotheslines and then a huge t-bone suplex that sent Raymond to his own corner. Diaz tried to clothesline Dutch but then was able to hit a Pele kick before getting the black hole slam. Orange sunshine on Raymond and then their Tandem DVD move on Diaz got the pinfall.
“The Righteous” Vincent and Dutch defeated Sammy Diaz and Matt Raymond by pinfall in 3:05.
After the match, Vincent grabbed a mic. He said they had to force the hand of an issue to get things done in ROH. He said they should have been tag champs a long time ago. He said they’ll be the next champions. Dutch held up his cowbell and taunted Dustin with the childhood memories of the cowbell. Dutch brought up being mentored by Dusty and said Dusty saw potential in Dutch. Dutch said Dusty gave him the cowbell instead of giving it to Dustin. Dutch called Dustin the weakest link in “our family”.
Robinson’s Ruminations: Oh yeah, bull rope match incoming.
A recap video aired of the small feud happening between the main event competitors…
8. Red Velvet vs. Diamante in a Street Fight for the ROH Women’s TV Championship. Justin Roberts gave the match a big in-ring introduction before entrances. Velvet ran to the ring, avoided a kendo stick shot and pulled Diamante to the floor for a quick brawl. Back in the ring, Velvet caught a kendo stick shot but then got German suplexed. Diamante grabbed the kendo and laid in some shots on Velvet’s back. Diamante wrapped the title belt on the ropes and ran at it but Velvet moved and she ran face first into the belt. Velvet grabbed a trash can but Diamante drop kicked it into her face and Velvet looked like a rag doll falling.
Diamante put Velvet in the tree of woe in a trash can and then drop kicked it for a two count! Diamante put the trash can in the corner and turned around to step on the chair that Velvet was trying to pick up. Diamante hit a face buster on the chair and then slammed Velvet’s face into it a bunch. Diamante choked Velvet with a chain but Diamante hit a stunner to break up the choke. Velvet avoided the trash can in the corner and hit a bulldog on the chair. Velvet threw Diamante into the trash can which looked rough because it didn’t bend to absorb impact.
Velvet went to ringside and grabbed a ladder as the fans chanted “we want tables”. Velvet put the ladder lightly against the middle rope. Diamante fought back with a chop and Velvet just ate it and hip tossed Diamante onto the ladder. Velvet put Diamante on the ladder and went to the top and missed a leg drop on the ladder and the landing looked rough. Diamante back suplexed Velvet onto the ladder and it again looked rough. Diamante put Velvet on the ladder and went up top and hit a splash for a two count.
Diamante rolled to ringside and pulled out a table to the delight of the fans. Diamante put the table in the ring and set it up but Velvet hit her in the gut with a chair. Diamante rolled under the ladder and Velvet hit the ladder into her back. Velvet put Diamante on the table and slowly went up top. Diamante cut Velvet off and the women fought on the turnbuckles. Diamante hit a superplex through the table in another rough landing because they overshot the table a bit. Diamante crawled over and got a two count nearfall. Diamante grabbed the title belt but Velvet came up limping but ducked a swing of the belt and then hit a variation of Natural Selection on the title belt for the pinfall.
Red Velvet defeated Diamante by pinfall in 12:00 of a Street Fight to retain the ROH Women’s TV Championship.
Robinson’s Ruminations: The women worked hard here, maybe a little too hard. The most invested in this match the crowd got was when they were chanting for tables and when they got the table, otherwise it was mostly polite golf claps. Velvet had quite a few hard landings here and I don’t think they were worth it. This “feud” had a few weeks of mediocre buildup but nothing that warranted a hardcore brawl like this. Again, this is me criticizing the booking here, not the hard work of the women involved, which seems to be a big trend as of late. My weekly audio reviews of ROH on HonorClub are available exclusively for Dot Net Members (including our Patreon patrons).
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