Last week: Rok-C successfully defended the ROH World Women’s Championship against a very game Gia Scott prior to EC3 overcoming Jay Lethal.
ROH TV Episode 533
December 4, 2021
Baltimore, MD
ROH World Women’s Championship Top Contender Match: Mandy Leon w/ Angelina Love vs. Willow
Brian Zane caught up with The Allure before the match with Mandy Leon informing her interviewer that she started her career in Baltimore and it was long overdue that she becomes the official Queen of Honor. Angelina Love voiced her truth that The Allure runs ROH.
Willow’s pre-match promo noted that she be outnumbered, but she is bring the power & a smile that is bright as the sun. And, as Willow reminded everyone, no one can stop the sun from shining.
Stern collar & elbow tie-up saw Willow gain an early two count off the crucifix. Mandy Leon kept her composure, working her way to her feet and eventually using a side headlock takedown to pull Willow down. Leon’s opposition wouldn’t be denied, freeing herself before using a shoulder block to down Mandy. Cartwheeling her way out of an Irish whip, Willow followed up with a big slam topped by a modified Muta Lock. Angelina grabbed the bottom rope, pushing the rope toward her crawling ally. The referee reprimanded Angelina, but Love paid him no mind as Mandy touched the rope to break the hold. Leon left the ring, witnessing Willow coming her way from the apron with a kick in mind. Leon caught the incoming leg, using Willow’s appendage to swing her opponent face-first against the ring’s edge. Willow staggered to her feet, taking a suplex on the floor prior to the commercial break.
When the show returned, Mandy came off the top with a missile dropkick that put Willow in position for a double knee strike in the corner. Willow couldn’t stop her face from being washed in the corner by Leon’s boot. Willow started swinging for the fences when Leon gave up on submitting her. Sweeping Leon into a seated abdominal stretch, Willow seemed to be on the verge of winning when Love jumped onto the apron for the distraction. Mandy clawed her way out of the hold, resetting the match so they could throw strikes with the end result being both women kicking the other down. Leon was up first, but Willow landed the first significant strike by clotheslining Leon prior to executing a spine buster that gave Willow a two count. Death Valley driver from Willow didn’t put Mandy away. Leon somehow back drop drove her way out of the power bomb to pull off a modified air raid crash that, too, ended in a two count.
Knocking Mandy into the corner, Willow hit the cannonball; but not the subsequent moonsault. Mandy took advantage of the situation, hitting Astral Projection … to gain a near fall!
Leon took too much time following up on the pin, demanding Love to get a chair. Quinn McKay ran out to stop Love from an illegal act, as did Chelsea Green, Miranda Alize, Trish Adora, Holidead & Vita VonStarr. Suddenly Max the Impaler entered the fray. Max grabbed Love after snatching the chair, slamming her on the floor. A frustrated Leon tried to get to her friend when she turned around and got super kicked. Leon couldn’t stop the Babe Bomb, or the subsequent three count in Willow’s favor. All the women who wanted to stop Love slapped the ring’s edge to rally behind the victorious Willow. Code of Honor followed with Leon embracing Willow as Willow will go on to fight for the gold at “Final Battle”.
– Willow ran into Brian Zane backstage with a promise to be spontaneous come “Final Battle”. Willow has a special pair of sparkly boots ready to show Rok-C who is really running this women’s division.
– Highlights from the “ROH Week By Week” match featuring Chris Dickinson taking on Taylor Rust was shown. Following the highlights was the announcement VLNCE UNLTD of Brody King, Tony Deppen & Homicide will fight Tracy Williams, Taylor Rust & Eli Isom at “Final Battle”.
ROH World champion Bandido w/ Rey Horus vs. PJ Black w/ Flip Gordon
Before PJ Black could talk about what he thinks of Bandido in a pre-match promo, Flip Gordon ran in with fear that he was actually a mercenary. Using hypnosis, Black settled his patient before cutting a promo on Bandido where he claimed the ROH World champion didn’t understand the levels “Dr. Black” has reached. Tonight, Black showcases his powers.
Code of Honor followed before the bell. The early going saw PJ Black doing a great job out-grappling the World champion until Bandido finally got his footing and slipped behind him while keeping a grasp of his opponent’s wrists. Black muscled Bandido against the turnbuckles, not breaking clean. Bandido responded oppositely when they locked up again and they ended up in the ropes. The pace quickened as both looked for flash pins. The strikes began to fly with Black being able to pitch the masked man out of the ring. Black was nice enough to let Bandido reenter without attack prior to the commercial break.
Bandido found himself on the mat, being stomped before taking a big fall to the floor. Black seemingly wanted Gordon to hit Bandido. Black demanded Flip to punch Bandido even though Gordon didn’t want to. The referee saw Gordon punch Bandido, disqualifying Black. Rey Horus came sailing over the top rope, fighting both Gordon & Black. The referee got the good word that we now have a tag team match.
ROH World champion Bandido & Rey Horus vs. PJ Black & Flip Gordon
The match started hot & heavy with Gordon pulling off a springboard slingblade on Rey Horus. Rey was reeling, taking a big suplex from Black after his tornado DDT attempt failed. Tagging out to Gordon, Black pulled off a backbreaker on Rey so Flip could come off the top with an elbow drop. Kinder Surprise followed courtesy of Flip, almost ending Horus’ night in failure. Rey was in bad shape before the commercial break.
Rey was fighting back, causing Black to get dropkicked by his own partner before Gordon felt Horus’ tornado DDT. Bandido tagged in, press slamming Gordon over the top, atop Black. MexaBlood was ready to fly with Bandido back dropping Horus into a somersault plancha. Frog splash connected for Bandido after Rey pushed Gordon into the ring to give the World champ a two count against Flip. Gordon was getting picked apart with Black being Gordon’s only saving grace from a sure pin. Grabbing Horus, Black put Rey on his shoulders so Flip could jump off the top to pull off a super blockbuster. To top it off, Black pulled off the South African destroyer on Rey off Black’s shoulders … for a near fall thanks to Bandido’s interference!
Spanish fly from Bandido on Black also ended in a near fall, but not Bandido’s 21-Plex on PJ. Black couldn’t stop the sure pin against him to give Bandido & Rey the victory. Jonathan Gresham, who provided commentary for this bout, gave the World champ a standing ovation.
Overall: Essentially the go-home episode for “Final Battle” was a mixed bag in terms of getting people hyped for the event. On the positive side of things was the action itself. On an episode that featured the World champ in action in two different types of matches, the women’s top contender match arguably stole the episode as Willow and Mandy worked incredibly hard to deliver a match worth of either becoming the next Women’s title challenger. The ending did leave something to be desired with the ruckus, but it gave a nice moment at the end with everyone being supportive of Willow’s win. Bandido and Black were having a solid bout that eventually turned into a hectic tag team encounter. All four grapplers impressed and it was only right that the champ’s team walked away with the victory before ROH’s final big event before the shutdown.
Outside of a few promos and, of course, the women’s match, there wasn’t much to grab onto in terms of adding hype to “Final Battle”. Really wish there was a big card rundown at the end with promos from a variety of wrestlers like ROH has done in the past. Beyond that disappointment is a strong episode that wasn’t necessarily the much-needed “Final Battle” promotional tool it needed to be.
