Last Week: Zack Sabre Jr. successfully defended his NJPW World Television Championship against Christopher Daniels after Women’s World champion Athena formed a formidable team with Billie Starkz to overcome The Renegades.
ROH on HonorClub Episode 27
Lexington, KY
August 31, 2023
New Japan Pro Wrestling World Television Championship: Zack Sabre Jr. (c) vs. Metalik
For some reason, Metalik defeating Tony Nese two weeks ago earned him this title shot. Using the power of the side headlock didn’t do the champ too well early, so he went to that British style of trickery & verbal insults to go after every limb his hands could get a hold of until the challenger almost turned a bow & arrow into a pinning combination. Impressed by Metalik’s grappling acumen, ZSJ went to follow the Code of Honor. “The King of Ropes” gave the handshake, but ended up having to stop a cheap shot by pulling off a head scissors. ZSJ fell to the floor, avoiding a baseball slide by slipping into the ring and snatching the reentering luchador. Grabbing and stomping Metalik’s right arm, the champ found a perfect attack point.
Between some joint & finger manipulation came more insults from the champ; firing up Metalik to the point the challenger turned an Irish whip into a slingblade bulldog. Missile dropkick connected for Metalik; setting up a plancha to ringside when Sabre Jr. attempted to find haven beyond the ropes. Metalik rolled the champion into the ring for another maneuver off the ropes; this time a cross body block that earned him a two count. ZSJ showed off his agility by using Dusk Till Dawn to pull “The King of Ropes” down in a seated Octopus stretch that Metalik only could stop by reaching the ropes.
In great pain after having his right arm assaulted, Metalik countered a shoulder breaker into a tornado DDT. Metalik’s attempt at a Michinoku driver resulted in the pair trading pinning combinations until the champion ran into a super kick. Metalik signaled for the end, walking the top rope for a diving elbow drop. ZSJ caught the incoming arm, putting Metalik in a high elevated version of the Brutalizer to force the submission.
Winner: Zack Sabre Jr.
Match Review: A really good opener thanks to the champ’s chameleon-like ability to have an enjoyable match with almost anyone of any style. The match’s only flaw (beyond the lacking crowd involvement and questionable reasoning why Metalik got the title shot to begin with) was the nonexistence of drama as no one believed a title change was going to happen.
– In the interview zone, interviewer Lexy Nair stood with Maria Kanellis-Bennett and Cole Karter with Nair questioning what Cole said to Griff Garrison last week. Karter was informed by Maria that there’s a chance Garrison may start teaming with Karter in the near future, but tonight it’s about Cole doing things on his own.
Josh Woods w/ Mark Sterling vs. John Walters
The early going between these two former ROH Pure champions was, unsurprisingly, grappling focused with both looking to cinch in an arm submission quickly. The pace quickened when Josh Woods sent his opposition over the top, only for John Walters to come back in with a slingshot arm drag. Before Walters could follow up with something, Woods rushed him and yanked him to the mat for some clubbing forearms to the chest. Walters felt a pair of knees to the same chest after trying to sweep Woods into a cradle. Following the knees came Woods’ Beast Lock and the submission victory.
Winner: Josh Woods
Match Review: Woods gets another much-needed win, though it’s a little odd that the whole point of Josh’s new attitude and winning streak is to win the Pure title. So why wasn’t this match a Pure Rules match especially since it featured two former Pure champions?
Lee Moriarty & The WorkHorsemen vs. Beef, Lord Crewe & Invictus Khash
No waiting from the familiar faces to ROH with everyone but Khash getting expelled from the ring. Recovering after Anthony Henry became the legal man, Invictus tagged Lord Crewe who got knocked in position for JD Drake’s senton-falling head-butt combination. Once again it was Henry trying to dispose of his opponents and got caught as Crewe pulled off a corkscrew enzuguri before tagging in the debuting Beef. Huge Saito suplex on an entering Lee Moriarty. Getting too excited after his offense, Beef missed a frog splash when his adversaries failed to stop him from diving. Double stomp from Henry topped by Drake’s moonsault put Beef down for the three count.
Winners: Lee Moriarty & The WorkHorsemen
Match Review: The WorkHorsemen are put in another trio with a person who, just a few weeks ago, was being promoted as someone looking to strike out on his own. This was an extended squash to put over another heel trio that may or may not challenge for the Six-Man title in the future.
Cole Karter w/ Maria Kanellis-Bennett vs. Dustin Jackson
Pie-facing Dustin Jackson off the Code of Honor didn’t do Cole Karter any favors as Jackson dropkicked him immediately after. Karter recovered, executing a pair of dropkicks followed by the lariat. Eye of the Beholder (the shoulder breaker into a DDT) by Cole saw him spike Jackson on his head and the pin fall was elementary afterward in Karter’s favor.
Winner: Cole Karter
Match Review: And another rudimentary squash for Cole Karter in his continued quest to impress Maria.
Emi Sakura vs. Alex Crowley
The self-professed queen found herself getting taken over by the debuting Alex Crowley as a few fans supported the newcomer. Chopping her way off the mat, Emi Sakura slung Alex across the ring in position for a Vader Bomb. Alex avoided the Vader Bomb, forearming her opposition without any type of pain coursing through Sakura’s body afterward. With the fans getting more vocal in support of Alex, Crowley countered a suplex into the fisherman’s suplex for a two count. Sakura reversed whatever Alex had in mind to execute an inverted Roll of the Dice. Emi’s running cross body block in the corner set up the Imperial Backbreaker to give Emi a pin fall.
Winner: Emi Sakura
Match Review: Beyond Zack Sabre Jr.’s entrance, this match got the most involvement from the fans of anything on the episode thus far. Though Emi was good as always, Crowley looked impressive even in defeat.
– Josh Woods & Mark Sterling were in the interview zone with Lexy Nair putting over Woods’ victory tonight. Sterling bragged about giving Woods necessary fights and “The Technical Beast” is just getting started to prove that he is the face of ROH’s Pure Division.
The Spanish Announce Project (Serpentico & Angelico) vs. The Outrunners
Truth Magnum locked up with Serpentico at the match’s started; cornering his smaller opponent to slap him around. Serpentico retaliated by dropkicking Magnum in position for Angelico’s kick to his opponent’s back. Double stomp off the top by Serpentico almost snapped Truth’s arm. Turbo Floyd ran across the apron, distracting Serpentico as he climbed to the top rope. The distraction cost Serpentico as he was knocked off his perch. Double team back elbow by The Outrunners set up … some stereo twirling.
Stopping a double team Irish whip, Serpentico used a head scissors on Turbo to send him into his own partner. Reaching Angelico, Serpentico tagged out to his fired-up ally. Knocking Turbo to the floor with a flying forearm, Angelico dared Truth to fistfight him. The idea of a knuckle war was a trick as Angelico swept his opponent into a submission. Saving his partner, Turbo got knocked out of the ring for a Serpentico dive. In the ring, Angelico forced a submission from Truth with a hanmmerlock-single-leg Boston crab combination.
Winners: The Spanish Announce Project
Match Review: Getting more time than expected, this was a solid, yet completely forgettable encounter featuring the victorious duo doing the seemingly impossible by actually winning and the losing team standing out for their antics more than their in-ring abilities.
Marina Shafir vs. Angelica Risk
Going for a failed shin kick off the Code of Honor, Marina Shafir just lifted her opponent up for a bear-hug slam. Angelica Risk blocked the sleeper, only to be taken over by a wrist-clutch slam topped by Shafir using her barefoot to floss Risk’s teeth. Judo hip tosses, kicks to Angelica’s back, and Sambo slams put Risk in prime position for the triangle choke. Risk had no choice but submit.
Winner: Marina Shafir
Match Review: This wasn’t a squash – this was a slaughter. Marina wrecked Risk with little to no effort and the fans responded in kind by sitting on their hands.
ROH World Six-Man Tag Team Championship: The Mogul Embassy (c) vs. Action Andretti, Darius Martin & Lee Johnson
The champs weren’t waiting around, jumping their challengers with Brian Cage isolating Darius Martin in the ring. Countering the power bomb with a hurricarana, Martin sent Cage into the turnbuckles. Cage recovered quickly, only to run into a tornado DDT. Tagging out to Lee Johnson was Martin in hopes of his partner doing what he couldn’t. Lee lit up Cage with kicks until he was able to slam “The Weapon” in position for a running attack. Unfortunately for Lee, Johnson ran and got cornered by Kaun that staggered Johnson enough for Cage to attack Lee from behind with a neck breaker.
The champions had Lee on the wrong part of town; putting the boots and bare feet to him. Toa Liona wanted a piece of every opponent, but didn’t lose his focus on trying to nerve hold Johnson into a paralyzed state. Overhead belly-to-belly suplex by Toa sent Lee across the ring for an avalanche splash in the corner. Lee avoided the corner splash, tagging out to Action Andretti.
Kaun tagged himself in, but found Andretti’s offense stunning him after kicking Toa to the floor. Springboard 450 splash didn’t connect for Action, but the Spanish Fly did to give him a near fall on Kaun. Darius joined Andretti, diving on Kaun & Cage at ringside. Kaun was being picked apart by the challengers with Toa being the only thing to save him from a sure loss. Cage ran, getting kicked by Martin to position him for Johnson’s frog splash … for a near fall!
Triple team super kick by the challengers caused Prince Nana to jump onto the apron. Poor Nana got triple super kicked for his trouble. Kaun reentered, stopping a pin on Cage after a triple team javelin toss into the ace crusher. Toa joined Kaun to wipe out Action & Darius. Lee was alone to be slung by The Gates of Agony into Cage’s Liger Bomb for the pin fall.
Winners: The Mogul Embassy
Match Review: A strong main event and, easily, the best match of the show. The closing moments actually seemed like new champions were about to be crowned before the inevitable. Maybe this will be the first of a few matches instead of just a one-off encounter like most all of the champions’ defenses thus far.
Overall Review: The shortest episode of ROH on HonorClub thus far was also one of, if not the most inconsequential. Beyond a TV title match that had very little reason for happening & no chance of a title change, and a Six-Man Championship bout that shouldn’t have occurred considering the way the trio were offered a shot came after they failed to defeated The Gates of Agony in a tag match as agreed upon weeks ago; there was absolutely nothing of true substance both in terms of storylines and high quality in-ring action.
Though the matches between the opener & closer weren’t must-see, they did have a few highlights including Emi Sakura’s ROH return alongside a solid performance from Alex Crowley, Moriarty & The WorkHorsemen gelling as a unit, and Woods getting another win even if it didn’t happen in a Pure Rules match when his whole purpose is to run the Pure Division. Marina Shafir obliterated an opponent and may or may not show up again in ROH like Lance Archer before her, and perennial losers The SAP actually won a match that probably won’t mean anything in the grand scheme of things especially considering how the ROH World Tag Team title is never defended on HonorClub.
While it’s understandable that a show taped during one of the busiest times in AEW history wouldn’t be full to the brim with stars and marquee matches, there still needs to be some thought into providing a product worth not only the viewer’s time, but in this case, their money.
