Last Week: Athena continued her incredible dominance as ROH Women’s World champion by successfully defending the title in a Chicago Street Fight against Kiera Hogan.
ROH on HonorClub Episode 18
Toronto, ON; Chicago, IL
June 29, 2023
– Tony Kahn and Stokely Hathaway were in the interview zone with Lexi Nair with Kahn announcing tonight the ROH World Six-Man Tag Team Championship will be on the line against New Japan’s Los Ingobernables de Japon.
La Faccion Ingobernable (Preston Vance & Dralistico) w/ Jose the Assistant vs. Mark Wheeler & Vikram Prashar
Of course, LFI attacked their opponents off the Code of Honor. With LFI kicking Mark Wheeler out of the ring, Vikram Prashar found himself getting worn out as the fans chanted, “Preston sucks!” LFI were having a good time just tossing Prashar around while mockingly pinning him until Wheeler reentered. Mark got chopped by Preston and knocked into a springboard Codebreaker. Prashar was left to be knocked out by Dralistico’s ripcord knee strike into Preston’s discus lariat; resulting in a pinning of both of LFI’s opponents.
Winners: La Faccion Ingobernable
Match Review: A squash is a squash. While Vance was definitely over as someone the crowd hated, this match didn’t do much to increase anyone’s stock any more than LFI’s previous squashes.
The Righteous w/ Stu Grayson vs. The Dark Order (John Silver & Alex Reynolds) w/ Evil Uno
No Code of Honor from The Dark Order as they got the jump on their opponents; sending Dutch over the top for an Alex Reynolds dive. John Silver’s explosive European uppercut knocked Vincent out of the ring where Stu distracted Silver before the latter could follow up with an attack. Evil Uno tried to intervene, only to see Vincent sliding a chair into the ring. Uno entered the ring to retrieve the chair when Vincent screamed for the referee to look. Seeing the potential illegal activity, the referee sent Uno to the back as a distracted Silver walked into Dutch’s Boss Man Slam for a two count.
Silver found himself on the wrong part of town, getting worn out with strikes from both opponents. Countering a suplex, Silver showed some incredible strength to suplex Dutch before tagging out to a fired-up Reynolds. Alex was wearing out Vincent in the corner. Vincent found no haven in and out of the ring as Reynolds whipped him from barricade to barricade. Dutch didn’t do much better; feeling a tornado DDT on the floor. Taking too much time setting up a double team in the ring. Dutch yanked Silver out of the ring as Stu ran through to pump knee strike Reynolds into Vincent’s small package for a Righteous three count.
The Righteous wasn’t done; whooping on Reynolds until Evil Uno returned with a chair. Stu confronted his old partner, demanding that Uno crown him with the chair. Uno couldn’t do the terrible act; forcing Stu to leave after shoulder-checking the masked man. Grayson left up the aisle while screaming, “Show me what you got!”
Winners: The Righteous
Match Review: One of the few matches to have a story connected to it provided a very entertaining, though rather short encounter where The Dark Order’s newfound ruthlessness still couldn’t overcome their rivals’ mental edge. Couple that with Uno’s conflicted nature in striking down his old partner continues the question: Can The Dark Order actually overcome this group and bring Stu back into the fold?
Diamante vs. Leila Gray w/ Mark Sterling
Code of Honor followed in this rematch from last week where Leila Gray cheated her way to victory. Diamante found herself on the defensive in the early moments as Leila used the side head lock. Diamante worked her way off the mat, pulling off some holds of her own until Gray exited the ring. Diamante followed, pitching Leila back in with Sterling distracting Diamante almost immediately after. Sterling’s distraction allowed Gray to knock Diamante off the apron; to the floor.
The crowd rallied behind Diamante as she tried to stop the submission. Using a jawbreaker to free herself, Diamante started throwing some big strikes to set up Chaos Theory. Diamante couldn’t hold the bridge, allowing Gray to avoid a pin. Leaving the corner to avoid the dropkick, Leila connected with the Side Effect connected to gain a two count. Countering whatever Leila had in mind, Diamante slipped behind her opponent to execute a snap dragon suplex into the corner dropkick … for a near fall thanks to Sterling putting Gray’s foot on the bottom rope!
Diamante grabbed Sterling, only for Gray to hook Diamante from behind for another roll up just like she did last week. Diamante avoided the pinning combination, getting to her feet hastily. Diamante pulled off her version of Cross Rhodes to put her opponent down for the three count.
Winner: Diamante
Match Review: Pretty much on part with their solid, yet forgettable match from last week. Though the score is 1-1, it’s hard to expect this rivalry to go on any further – something we’ve seen happen in the very recent past where the once-cheated wrestler avenges a loss.
– ROH World champion Claudio Castagnoli was in the interview zone to question why no one wants to step up and challenge him. Chuck Taylor arrived to remind the champ that he’s beaten Claudio before and wouldn’t mind doing it again tonight. Frustrated, Claudio accepted the Proving Ground match, but no time limit.
ROH World Tag Team champions Lucha Bros., El Hijo del Vikingo & Komander w/ Alex Abrahantes vs. Shane Taylor, Gringo Loco & The WorkHorsemen (Anthony Henry & JD Drake)
The match was taped in Chicago. No Code of Honor with Penta El Zero M confronting Gringo Loco with both getting some big reactions including when Penta did his patented insult. Anthony Henry entered to start an exchange of moves from everyone until it was down to Gringo and Penta where the prior felt that pumphandle driver … for a near fall in Penta’s favor!
Rey Fenix tagged in, climbing the ropes for something when Gringo shoved Penta into the ropes so Fenix dropped down in position for Shane Taylor’s big splash. El Vikingo saved his partner from a sure pin, allowing Fenix to recover and super kick Taylor. Komander became the legal man and was easily downed by Taylor for a series of attacks topped by Gringo’s moonsault. Once again, it was Vikingo stopping a sure pin on one of his partners, but couldn’t get Komander to the corner. Pele kick from Komander to JD Drake allowed him to tag out to Vikingo.
The explosive Vikingo pulled off a pop-up head scissors on Gringo before Taylor knocked him across the ring. The ROH World Tag champs tagged in, double teamed Drake until Penta failed to execute the Fear Factor; causing a double down when both men went for clotheslines. It was Fenix and Henry tagging in; leading to a chop exchange followed by forearms. Big PK into the cradle northern lights bomb by Henry saw Vikingo enter to head scissor Drake. Diving on their opponents at ringside, Komander & Vikingo cleared the way for the Tag champs to double stomp Henry into the Fear Factor for a pin fall.
Winners: Lucha Bros., El Hijo del Vikingo & Komander
Match Review: Not surprising considering the talent involved, this was a really fun encounter with a not-so-unexpected outcome. This is the type of match where an episode with fewer matches where this match could get more time would’ve made it a classic.
– ROH World Television champion Samoa Joe was in the interview zone to talk about his upcoming match with Roderick Strong during the Owen Hart Memorial Tournament. Happy to showcase his brand new ROH World Television Championship belt, Joe was interrupted by Stokely Hathaway who was looking for kudos. Joe built up “Big Stoke”, reminding him who runs this ship before telling Hathaway, “I run you.”
Lee Moriarty & Big Bill vs. Karou & Tariq
No locking up with Karou after following the Code of Honor as Lee Moriarty immediately tagged out. Forearms to the back-exchange between Big Bill and Karou ended with a Bill big boot. Tariq tagged in, landing a slew of chops. Thinking he had Bill reeling, Tariq hit the ropes for something; only to run into a Boss Man slam. Lee became the legal man, taking an insulting kick that saw him go off on both opponents. Tariq stopped the abdominal stretch, pulling off a hurricarana. Lee found himself on the wrong part of town, getting splashed by Karou. When Karou went for another splash in the corner, Bill ran in to squash him between the turnbuckles. Bill watched as Lee used a cyclone reverse Samoan drop to set up the Border City Stretch on Tariq. Tariq had no choice but to tap out.
Winners: Lee Moriarty & Big Bill
Match Review: Though a little more competitive than expected, this match was essentially an extended squash with Lee & Bill proving to be a perfect pairing whose strengths play off well with each other.
ROH World Six-Man Tag Team Championship: The Embassy w/ Prince Nana vs. Los Ingobernables de Japon (BUSHI, Hiromu Takahashi & Shingo Takagi)
BUSHI wanted to start off, running into a shoulder block from Brian Cage. So, BUSHI opted to tag out to Shingo Takagi who went shoulder block for shoulder block until they were at a stalemate. Poor Hiromu Takahashi couldn’t shoulder block Cage off his feet, but could set up a triple team onslaught that ended with Hiromu dropkicking a seated Cage. “The Weapon” dropped Hiromu over the top rope, using that dead-lift superplex on the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight champ while Kaun & Toa Liona knocked BUSHI & Shingo off the apron. Hiromu found himself on the wrong part of the ring, getting senton splashed across the ring’s edge thanks to Toa. Turning a swinging slam against Toa, Takahashi used the DDT to stun the big man.
Hiromu tagged out to Shingo as Kaun became the legal man. Big strikes from Shingo had both Kaun off his feet and the fans in the challenger’s corner. Ducking a double team clothesline from Cage and Kaun, Shingo caught both men with flatliners. Takagi took Kaun’s lung blower, only to DDT his opponent when Kaun tried to follow up with something. BUSHI got the tag, using a missile dropkick on Kaun, avoiding a leaping Toa so Liona hit the ring post, and setting up a triple team series of clotheslines on Kaun after knocking down Cage from the apron. Kaun stopped a hurricarana, almost clotheslining BUSHI out of his boots.
Cage used a pair of clotheslines at the same time to down Hiromu and Shingo before slamming both men down at the same time. BUSHI got behind the referee, using the black mist to blind Cage. BUSHI reentered the ring, forearming The Gates of Agony until he ran into a double team shoulder tackles. BUSHI couldn’t stop Open the Gates or the subsequent three count.
Winners: The Embassy
Match Review: Very good match similar to what was seen in ROH before the Tony Kahn era when ROH would have co-promoted shows with New Japan including BUSHI taking the pin in the end. Like the eight-man, on an episode with less matches and this one getting more time it could’ve been a great instead of simply good bout.
– The United Empire’s Kyle Fletcher, TJP & Jeff Cobb were in the interview zone to put over how well the faction has been successful everywhere they go. What do they want: the ROH World Six-Man Tag Team title.
El Desperado vs. Willie Mack
El Desperado came in running strong with the hope of knocking Willie Mack down with a shoulder block. When that failed, the masked man set up his opponent to run into a back elbow. Mack paid El back by leaping over the running Desperado before landing a leg lariat. Big slap rocked Desperado. Slipping off Mack’s shoulders, Desperado got ahead of himself and ran into a Samoan drop followed by Willie’s patented standing moonsault. El somehow kicked out before the three count, moving to the corner for some haven that wasn’t to be found.
Avoiding a running attack in the corner, El dropkicked Mack’s left knee. The focus was all on Mack’s left lower limb. Slapping his way out of an Indian deathlock, Willie found himself in the ropes and being assaulted. Letting Mack get to his feet proved ineffective to keep him up right as one kick to his left leg put him down. El ran forward, jumping into a big forearm strike.
The fans were rising as Mack exploded with that inverted cannonball splash in the corner that gave Willie a two count. Missing a Superfly splash, Mack found his left leg was his biggest foe. Blocking the butterfly driver, Mack’s clothesline resulted in his arms getting caught and him slammed with Angel’s Wings for the pin fall on Mack.
Winner: El Desperado
Match Review: Definitely another fun Willie Mack match, but it is disappointing seeing him lose so much. Desperado is an absolute joy to watch and rematch would be great to see down the road.
Roppongi Vice (Rocky Romero & Beretta) vs. Sho & Yujiro Takahashi
No Code of Honor as RV were attacked. Vice immediately turned the tables by dropkicking their opponents. Yujiro found himself being double team hip tossed into Beretta’s standing moonsualt. Biting his way out of a suplex, Yujiro sent Beretta into an illegal kick from Sho. Recovering quickly, Beretta sent Yujiro to the floor for a dive. When Beretta got up, he walked into a Sho. Big back drop from the now-legal Sho allowed him to sling & kick Beretta around the ring.
When Yujiro tagged in, Beretta avoided a move in the corner to tornado DDT Takahashi. Double tag witnessed Romero dominating both opponents with that never-ending series of clotheslines. Vice signaled for the end when Yujiro shoved Rocky off the top to the floor. Takahashi threw his cane to Beretta. The referee saw the item; removing it from the ring as Beretta felt a double team set up for the super fisherman’s buster … that ended in a near fall thanks to Rocky!
After helping his partner recover and knock Sho out of the ring, Rocky dove through the ropes to wipe out Sho at ringside. Yujiro couldn’t stop Strong Zero or the three count that followed.
Sho was infuriated, jumping the victors until the AEW International champion Orange Cassidy arrived to clean house.
Winners: Roppongi Vice
Match Review: A New Japan “Road to” type of match that proved as fun as expected. Orange Cassidy providing the rescue to get a pop is fine, but let the man actually wrestle in ROH once in a while if he’s going to keep making appearances (same for FTR).
United Empire (Kyle Fletcher, Jeff Cobb & TJP) vs. Christopher Daniels, Darius Martin & Action Andretti
A very smooth exchange between TJP and Action Andretti after the bell that saw moments like Perkins using a handstand to free himself from the head scissors before pulling off a hurricarana that Action flipped out of. The pace quickened, allowing Darius Martin & Andretti to double team Kyle Fletcher to set up Christopher Daniels becoming the legal man for a big slam. Fletcher paid Daniels back with a slam before tagging out to TJP who put the former ROH World champion on the wrong side of the apron for a Jeff Cobb suplex against the steel ring post. With the fans chanting for him, Cobb shoulder tackled Daniels in position for that standing moonsault press. Kyle showed some impressive strength by getting underneath his partner when Cobb had Daniels up for the delayed vertical suplex to take Cobb’s position to execute the move.
Sadly for UE, TJP missed an attack in the corner and got tossed across the ring. Darius tagged in, using a tornado DDT on Fletcher, kicking Cobb into a springboard complete shot before taking a cradle suplex from TJP. Martin rolled to an Action tag; giving Andretti the chance to dead-lift falcon arrow TJP from the canvas. TJP survived the maneuver, pulling off a tornado DDT of his own. Fletcher ran in to kick Action into Jeff’s swinging belly-to-back suplex. Action was alone and prone to a triple team when he moved from the corner at the last second. Daniels & Darius reentered after disposing of Cobb and Fletcher. TJP felt that double team windmill side slam from Andretti & Martin. Action made the cover, getting the pin for his team with TJP kicking out at three-and-a-half.
Winners: Christopher Daniels, Darius Martin & Action Andretti
Match Review: Well, that was something. The match itself was absolutely cooking and then the end came. It seemed like TJP didn’t kick out when he was supposed, but that was Andretti & Martin’s finisher. If the United Empire was meant to lose, why cut a promo stating they want to win the Six-Man title? A good match; potentially messed up ending.
– The Kingdom was in the interview zone with Jerry Lynn from the Board of Directors. Matt Taven put Lynn over while saying Stokely is jealous of Lynn. Mike Bennett couldn’t help but bring up that Lynn’s final ROH match came courtesy of Bennett beating him. Lynn had an idea: The Kingdom in full vs. The Infantry & Trish Adora most likely next week.
Proving Ground Match: ROH Women’s World champion Athena vs. KC Spinelli
The would-be title challenger showed great grappling acumen in the early seconds until the champ tripped her in position for slingshot splash. Athena’s showboating almost got the better of her as she was pulled into a backslide. Athena kicked out, forearm smashing KC’s back. Running forearm smash from Athena put KC’s lights out for the pin.
As per the norm, Athena wasn’t done as she used a dropkick to knock the exiting KC into the steel ring steps. Spinelli couldn’t stop a running knee strike that slammed the back of KC’s head against the steel ring steps before the champ took her final exit.
Winner: Athena
Match Review: Nothing that hasn’t been seen in the recent past with Athena Proving Ground matches. While Athena’s antics are fun, this feels like something from the beginning of the HonorClub era especially after Athena had a war last week that, for some reason, she had no effects from.
Proving Ground Match: ROH World champion Claudio Castagnoli vs. Chuck Taylor
The fans were behind Chuck Taylor; angering the champion. Taylor wisely took the fight to Claudio Castagnoli; punching the champ until he was stuck at ringside. Sole Food for Taylor when the action returned into the ring, only for Claudio to fall out of the ring. Chuck followed, getting punched against the barricades for a running European uppercut. Claudio was looking for the count-out victory, continuously kicking Chuck to the floor. Beating Chuck into the front row, Claudio pulled off a DDT on a fan’s chair.
Beretta & Rocky Romero ran out to encourage Chuck. Making it in by the nine count, Chuck avoided a boot intended to knock him out the ring, sending the champ flying. Somersault plancha by Taylor wiped out the champ; leaving Castagnoli prone to some big forearms. The champ fired back with European uppercuts that resulted in Taylor having to knee his way out of the corner. Snap piledriver by Chuck only gave him a two count. Taylor came running when he felt the pop-up European uppercut. A valiant Taylor tried to fight back when he felt a clothesline that left him prone to the Ricola Bomb and the subsequent three count.
Winner: Claudio Castagnoli
Match Review: Similar to the other Proving Ground match, this had the expected outcome with more action as Chuck brought the fight in the early going and had a little hope by the end. Like Athena, Claudio has no pressing challenger as of right now with the “Death Before Dishonor” pay-per-view is less than a month away.
Overall Review: This special New Japan-focused edition of ROH on HonorClub provided some rather entertaining bouts especially Desperado-Mack, the eight and both six-man tags. Long-time storytelling was non-existent in this episode beyond the continued issues between The Dark Order and The Righteous and CHIKARA lore invading ROH in the main event.
In truth, there’s not much to state about this episode as it visibly doesn’t mean much during a time that ROH programming should be in a more focused manner considering how close the upcoming PPV is (occurring on July 21st). As of right now, there are no matches announced for the PPV and only assumptions of what could be some of the big matches for the premier event. Like the “B-tier” ROH-NJPW “War of the Worlds”/“Global Wars” events of the past, this is a good episode for people who care more about solid, though rather forgettable in-ring action without much in terms of narrative or pushing toward a bigger goal like building a must-see card to ROH’s upcoming pay-per-view.
