Last Week: Angelico staked his claim as Eddie Kingston’s next title contender while Ethan Page was confronted by Tony Nese in the latter’s effort to recruit him as a Premier Athlete.
ROH on HonorClub Episode 34
Toledo, OH
October 19, 2023
Gravity vs. Angelico
Gravity got the fans clapping in his favor early, but it was Angelico who controlled the momentum early after freeing himself from a side headlock. Gravity showed off his slow-motion walk to reset this one, not actually angering the rather chill competitor. Gravity’s attempt to counter a top wrist lock turned against him as Angelico snatched him in the cross arm bar. Using the ropes to free himself, Gravity survived the submission attempts to cinch in a leg lock of his own. Picking up the pace was Angelico, outmaneuvering Gravity much to the anger of the fans who were supportive of the masked man. Sidestepping and hip tossing Angelico, Gravity sent his opponent to ringside for a plancha that got the fans on their feet. Sadly for Gravity and the crowd, the luchador dove into a dropkick when he reentered the ring.
Angelico had a modified double underhook surfboard submission hold in mind, almost turning the maneuver into a pinning combination. Big boos for Angelico as he did a few pelvic thrusts. But Angelico’s joking around cost him as Gravity recovered and started landing big moves like an enzuguri off the rope-assisted arm drag. Gravity showed off some impressive strength by power bombing his way out of a triangle choke when Angelico countered his head scissors. Gravity came off the top with that missile splash when Angelico got his knees up. Gravity popped off the mat after colliding with nothing but knees, getting submitted by a hammerlock single-leg Boston crab combo.
Winner: Angelico
Match Review: Really entertaining opening contest with the would-be future ROH World champion getting a much-needed win to establish him as someone with the capabilities to actually dethrone Eddie Kingston.
– The Righteous were in some random part of the building, speaking on how they planned on tearing apart the friendship of Adam Cole & MJF. According to Vincent, Cole is now being pestered by dogs he sent for him.
Shawn Dean w/ Trish Adora vs. Peter Avalon w/ Ryan Nemeth
“The Captain” shockingly found himself on the receiving end of a shoulder block that put him on the mat until Peter Avalon tried to mock the salute. Getting the fans behind him was Shawn Dean after a pair of arm drags topped by a big dropkick. Dean was giving the fans what they wanted by slamming “Pretty” Peter’s face against the top turnbuckles making up the ring’s corners. Nemeth pulled off an illegal trip behind the referee’s back; causing Dean to send for Trish.
Sadly for Shawn, Peter dropped him from behind. Avalon turned around, witnessing Trish chasing Nemeth to the back. Dean used Peter’s lack of focus to recover and started a comeback sequence that ended with him pulling off the Sonic Boom Lariat. Avalon survived a head-spiking DDT.
Super kick off the counter of a shoulder-based attack by Avalon set up the Death Valley driver; giving Peter a two count. Ducking an enzuguri, Dean landed one of his own that putt Avalon on the corner for a flying clothesline. Avalon stopped Dean’s ascent on the ropes, only to get knocked to the canvas for Dean’s “Last Salute” splash. Avalon couldn’t kick out before the three count.
Winner: Shawn Dean
Match Review: A solid encounter where the result wasn’t in question considering Peter is one of the biggest losers in AEW history. Dean is definitely someone who has a way to connect with the crowd that can’t be taught.
Mercedes Martinez vs. Marti Belle
Insulting slap by Mercedes Martinez after being out-grappled by the ROH-returning star. With Marti Belle in the corner, Martinez just stomped the life out of her opposition to set up a clothesline when she got up. The fans were not happy about Belle getting her chest caved in by forearms and her chin feeling the knee strike. Anarchist suplex didn’t put Belle away nor did the Taz-like forearms to a mounted opponent.
Belle got up swinging for the fences when Martinez taunted her. Kicking her way out of a choke hold, Belle pulled off PK after kneeing Martinez on the jaw. Mercedes stopped a believe sure pin. Bicycle kick missed for Belle and propelled her into a spine buster. Before Marti could recover, Martinez submitted her opponent with the OG Lock double underhook guillotine choke.
Winner: Mercedes Martinez
Match Review: The former champ gets another win against a game Marti Belle. Rather interesting they went with the idea of a singles match for Martinez this week instead of going a tag bout with Athena & Billie after attacking them alongside Diamante last week.
– It was time for a MEM – Minion Empowerment Meeting. Verbally lambasting and encouraging Billie Starkz, Athena wanted her second-favorite Minion to beat up “Diabla” (Diamante). The entire time, Lexy Nair was hyping up Billie while echoing the champ’s sentiments.
Ethan Page vs. Tony Nese w/ Mark Sterling
No attempt at Group Training tonight thanks to Ethan Page’s insulting words last week.
Stopping the collar & elbow tie-up, Tony Nese brought the gun show to Toledo. Ethan Page didn’t seem impressed with Nese’s posing or his ability to slip in & out of the ring to do some jumping jacks. When Nese kept trying to start a cat & mouse sequence, Page opted to go after Sterling. Nese tried to save his manager, getting clobbered for his intent.
Big shoulder block almost turned Nese inside-out while the body slam sent him sailing across the ring. Page went for the Head Shot slingshot ace crusher when Sterling grabbed Page’s legs. The distraction left Page open to be knocked to the floor where he was prone to a plancha.
Putting “All Ego” in the tree of woe in the ring, Nese’s rowboat kicks finally left Page on the mat for a pin attempt. Punching his way off the canvas, Page got grabbed and yanked throat-first across the top rope. Showing great ring awareness, Page not only used the ropes to stop a pin, but also caught Nese running by performing a tilt-a-whirl power slam. Nese countered the Ego’s Edge, only to feel a roundhouse kick. Knocking Nese backward after getting dumped over the top rope, Page’s Head Shot … gave him a two count!
Sterling saw Nese about to feel the Ego’s Edge, jumping onto the apron. Page lost his focus, getting rolled up. Nese put his feet on the middle rope to hold Page down for the three count. The streak is over!
After following the Code of Honor, Nese offered Page a chance to join the Premier Athletes again. Mocking Page, Nese got punched in the mouth before he had to save his manager from feeling the Ego’s Edge.
Winner: Tony Nese
Match Review: Consummate loser Tony Nese wins one through nefarious means over one of the few smartly-handled wrestlers to come into ROH as of late. While ending Page’s streak before he could get a title shot is questionable, if this loss actually leads to a story & rematches, here’s to it because they are two great wrestlers who had strong chemistry.
Billie Starkz w/ Athena vs. Diamante w/ Mercedes Martinez
Attempted Pearl Harbor job by Diamante off the Code of Honor resulted in her getting knocked to the floor and dove on. But Billie Starkz spent too much time celebrating her early advantage; getting knocked into the ring from the apron by Diamante after the latter got shoved back in. Starkz took an Irish whip chest-first against the turnbuckles; leaving her open for a standing dragon sleeper into the neck breaker. Billie stopped a pin attempt, getting caught in the cravat. Starkz felt a dropkick to the back while she tried to sit up.
Billie was on the wrong part of town as she was getting assaulted by forearms & uppercuts while Mercedes was verbally assaulting her. A big rope-assisted back breaker rattled Billie as did some subsequent chops. Right in front of Athena, Diamante tried to cave Billie’s chest in with forearms. Kicking her way out of the corner, Billie missed a roundhouse kick. Countering the wheelbarrow bulldog with a roll up, Billie got the three count.
Athena had to stop her Minion from taking a two-on-one beating, but the numbers were too much as Billie hadn’t recovered. Mercedes left the ring, grabbing chairs for something that was stopped by entering referees.
Winner: Billie Starkz
Match Review: A good bout with the story of Billie being overwhelmed and snatching victory from the jaws of defeat out of almost nowhere being a good way to set up the inevitable tag team encounter between the four.
– Cole Karter interrupted Griff Garrison from answering Lexy Nair’s question about them getting along as a tag team to offer Maria a homemade shirt putting over her hot mom-ness.
Pure Rules Match: Josh Woods w/ Mark Sterling vs. Pat Buck
They had both Bobby Cruise explain the Pure Rules system alongside graphics. The judges for this one Christopher Daniels, Jimmy Jacobs & Madison Rayne.
Mentioning how Josh Woods mocked the idea of being coached by Pat Buck is how this match came to be, the commentators Ian Riccaboni & Caprice Coleman found themselves surprised by the fact Buck used his first rope break to stop a knee bar. Trading waist lock attempts, Buck tripped Woods to send him into the ropes. The referee claimed that was a rope break. Woods found himself getting pushed against the ropes for an O’Connor roll up, hooking the top rope to stop himself.
Infuriated, Woods sacrificed his warning by punching Buck. Quickly yanking Buck’s legs from underneath him, Woods started slamming Pat knee-first against the canvas. Woods found himself missing a kick, getting rolled up. Woods kicked out, allowing “The Technical Beast” to knee Bucks’ face. Using the gut-wrench power bomb, the former Pure champion cinched in the Woods Lock for the submission victory.
Winner: Josh Woods
Match Review: This one barely got out of the gate before it was over. The sad part is the match was starting to get good with Buck figuring out how to use the rules to his advantage when it somewhat just ended. At least Woods’ streak is still going.
Griff Garrison & Cole Karter w/ Maria Kanellis-Bennett vs. Ren Jones & Myron Reed
The former MLW star in Myron Reed found himself getting tossed around by Griff Garrison before feeling the big boot. Stomping a mudhole into Reed, Garrison set up a dropkick from his partner so Cole Karter could blow some kisses to Maria afterward. But Karter’s focus on Maria cost him as Ren Jones tagged in and leveled both opponents to set up a brain buster on Karter for a two count. Blind tag by Griff allowed him to discus forearm Jones into that shoulder-elevated face buster by Karter. Griff made the cover on Jones to win for his team via pin fall.
Winners: Griff Garrison & Cole Karter
Match Review: Garrison & Karter are finally on the same page (at least for this week) and they looked good in a very uneven bout with them dominating the competition; though there was a moment where Karter’s obsession with Maria almost cost him which could become a running theme. Myron deserves better, though.
– Dalton Castle was in the interview zone, stating how his plan to keep the viewers happy is by putting himself on the forefront of ROH television and make it extraordinary.
Kiera Hogan vs. Allysin Kay
Dropkicking Allysin Kay’s legs from underneath her early, Kiera Hogan was all over the former NWA Women’s World champion as she hip attack and knife-edge chopped her opponent around the ring. It wasn’t until Hogan made the mistake of performing a cross body block that she got caught and slammed. Blocking a power bomb, Hogan went for a wheelbarrow suplex that Kay countered by German suplexing Kiera.
Missing a running splash in the corner, Hogan pulled off another dropkick with this one coming from Bret’s rope. Sliding kicks on the cornered Kay allowed Hogan to gain a two count. When Hogan got up after a failed pin attempt, Hogan ran into a lariat. Kay didn’t get the discus version of her patented lariat; allowing Kiera to survive. Hogan found herself stopping a superplex, landing a third dropkick to set up the spinning fisherman’s suplex for the pin fall.
Winner: Kiera Hogan
Match Review: Hogan mostly dominated this one with Kay getting some big moves in here & there. This feels like another attempt at building Hogan back up without doing much to actually move her up the ladder for another title shot.
The Righteous vs. Rod Gordon & Kevin Matthews
No Code of Honor with KM getting dumped out of the ring before Dutch used the running cross body block to put Rod Gordon in position for Autumn Sunshine by Vincent. Vincent made the cover for a ridiculously short encounter.
Winners: The Righteous
Match Review: The Righteous are apparently back in ROH and their mission statement seems to be involving destroying the friendship between Cole and MJF without stating they want to win the Tag Team title. Match was an obliteration like we’ve seen so many times in the past.
Lady Frost vs. Zoey Lynn
The early seconds saw Zoey Lynn’s momentum halted by a knee to the stomach. After landing a few strikes, Lady Frost used the roundhouse kick to set up the cartwheel air raid crash. The moonsault off the top – “Frost Bite” – ending this one in quick fashion.
Winner: Lady Frost
Match Review: Another squash with the result seemingly meant to accomplish the same thing that happened with Kiera winning – Frost gets a win over a low tier local, but can’t win when it counts the most.
Metalik vs. Komander
The quickness was the match’s name of the game immediately with Metalik walking the ropes for a successful dropkick. Komander fell to the floor, getting taken down by a plancha. Rolling Komander back in, Metalik landed another splash for a two count. Komander elbowed his way out of a situation to pull off a head scissors that left Metalik rolling to the floor. Komander’s somersault plancha. In the ring, Komander ran and performed a Code Red by rolling up Metalik’s body. Super Frankensteiner by Komander gave him a two count. Pulling off a hurricarana off the ropes himself, Metalik set up the Metalik Driver … to gain a near fall!
Getting his feet up to stop the moonsault, Komander pulled off his version of End of Heartache. Before Metalik could recover, Komander walked the top rope to perform a shooting star press to pin Metalik.
Winner: Komander
Match Review: They packed a lot in a very short amount of time with the fans really getting into the home stretch. But like a lot of these modern-day lucha matches where cooperation is key, there were several moments when both men were looking at the other and waiting for them to jump for a move against them.
The Gates of Agony w/ Prince Nana vs. Darius Martin & Action Andretti vs. The WorkHorsemen
The Gates of Agony found themselves being taken down by a flying Action Andretti & Anthony Henry. Showing off his high-flying skills, Action and Darius isolated JD Drake by going after his arm. Breaking free of Darius’ grip, Drake got to Henry so they could double team forearm Martin into oblivion. Toa Liona ran through Henry and Martin, setting up a double team slam on Martin alongside Kaun.
Martin slipped off Liona’s shoulders, tagging in Andretti. Pop-up dropkick by Action caused Toa to get tagged out via Henry. The pace quickened with Henry using a German suplex to put Action in position for JD’s pendulum flatliner. Martin helped his partner recover and double team splash Drake. Toa reentered, splashing Martin, pitching Darius and JD to the floor and double team clotheslining Action from both sides. Kaun made the cover on Action for another win.
The winners declared their intentions for getting a shot at the ROH World Tag Team title shot.
Winners: The Gates of Agony
Match Review: Another week and another main event that got the short-end of the figurative stick in regards to allotted time. Like the semi-main event, they packed a lot in a short time even if this one felt more slighted as they could told an interesting story beyond three teams just throwing bombs until the strongest team won.
Overall Review: For the first time in a month, an episode of ROH on HonorClub went under two hours and the show felt that much better for it. On the positive side of things was a very entertaining opening contest to help establish Angelico as a threat to Eddie Kingston’s ROH World Championship, and several enjoyable bouts that would’ve been memorable if given the time necessary for greatness including the Pure Rules, semi-main event & the episode’s closer. The other standout encounter was Nese-Page that featured a shocking conclusion that may or may not lead to something more than just a simple rematch where Page gets his win back to restart his march toward a ROH World title shot.
Seeds were both planted and nourished during this episode including the feud between Athena & Starkz and Martinez & Diamante (not to mention Lexy Nair’s growing confidence as a Minion). Dalton is still trying to improve ROH somehow. Cole Karter’s obsession with Maria may or may not be the downfall of their team. The Righteous are back for reasons that may or may not including challenging for the ROH World Tag Team title again – a goal that The Gates of Agony definitely have by winning another tag team encounter.
But there is a lot about this episode that felt like filler including Dean-Avalon and Martinez-Belle. There were several matches representing redundancy: Hogan-Kay, Frost-Lynn, and even Woods winning another match with the intent of challenging for the Pure Championship without calling out the champ. And to top it off as the show progressed the action itself got shorter and shorter.
But the episode’s biggest flaw is the fact very little of it felt important to the next phase of whatever they’re aiming for other than some of the obvious routes including the aforementioned Athena & Starkz versus Martinez & Diamante, Angelico challenging for the World title in the near future, and Page’s winning streak coming to an end that could be followed-up with him facing Tony Nese in a rematch or rematches. With “Final Battle” announced, hopefully some urgency is found to make this show more exciting on a weekly basis beyond just some good wrestling matches and Athena’s antics.
