Welcome to another edition of The ROHbot Report – the only article you need for all the Ring of Honor news you have to know. ROH and women’s wrestling hadn’t been very consistent or groundbreaking from the company’s inception until 2015. In those thirteen years, ROH hosted women’s matches with a variety of competitors or working alongside companies like SHIMMER. When ROH finally took its best foot forward in having its own women’s division it suffered several growing pains greatly associated with ROH in general including the loss of talent due to signings elsewhere and trying to indirectly compete against other promotions who were able to sign & groom said talents to be some of the best wrestlers the world has to offer. A combination of internal issues between talent & ROH management, the Covid-19 pandemic, and Maria Kanellis-Bennett’s return came the end of “Women of Honor” and the birth of ROH’s new Women’s Division.
To crown the first ROH World Women’s champion, fifteen competitors will fight in a single-elimination tournament including former two-time Women of Honor champion Angelina Love who earned a bye into the second round by defeating Quinn McKay. Interestingly enough Love’s Allure stablemate Mandy Leon will also be involved in the tournament against an at-this-time-unnamed opponent as McKay also couldn’t defeat her; leaving a slot open that was once filled by The Righteous’ Vita VonStarr who was pulled from the tournament for being dishonorable & interfering in matches (more on that potential match later). It’s also been announced The Allure will not be at ringside for their ally’s matches; something that could be the difference maker in every encounter featuring Love or Leon.
Lets see what is scheduled to air on ROH TV in the coming weeks that will set the stage for a final round bout to be held at “Death Before Dishonor” in September.
ROH World Women’s Championship Tournament 1st Round: Nicole Savoy vs. Mazzerati
While WWE has coined the phrases “Women’s Evolution” and “Women’s Revolution” when it comes to women’s wrestling, it was the SHIMMER promotion based out of Berwyn, IL that truly begot the change in how women’s wrestling is accepted by wrestling fans around the world. SHIMMER put a spotlight on women’s wrestling in its purest form without the characters, sports entertainment & insulting match stipulations by letting the wrestlers be wrestlers & the rivalries flourish in ways unseen in most women’s wrestling.
Nicole Savoy found herself the product of years & years of hard work by the women who fought in SHIMMER before her; taking that opportunity to grow as a wrestling in an environment ready to breed some of the best wrestlers in the world with no gender limits. Savoy became the twelfth woman to hold the promotion’s top prize, becoming the longest-reigning titleholder in SHIMMER history. Between all of that Savoy has competed in the Mae Young Classic, on pay-per-view and in AEW.
Opposing “The Queen of Suplexes” will be someone who had a cup of coffee in ROH before the Women of Honor division dissolved. Going 1-1 in her ROH matches pre-2021, Mazzerati returned to ROH having learned what it takes to become a champion as she attained the OVW Women’s title – a championship won by the likes of Serena Deeb, Heidi “Ruby Riot” Lovelace, and Beth Phoenix. Though Mazzerati has gained experienced and won titles, her ROH comeback thus far has been incredibly trying. Mazzerati fell to former two-time Women of Honor champion Angelina Love before her partnership with Trish Adora against Sumie Sakai & Miranda Alize saw Mazzerati tapping out to Alize’s “Miranda Rights” crossface.
Mazzerati’s chance to reset the course of her ROH career by defeating one of the top, unsigned women’s wrestlers isn’t out of the realm of possibility given her success in other promotions. While the potential for an upset is there, it’s hard to believe Savoy won’t make it to the second round by overcoming a true blue chipper.
ROH World Women’s Championship Tournament 1st Round: Sumie Sakai vs. Rok-C
So many people have made their way into the wrestling business at a young age, showcasing unbelievable skills & garnering a wave of momentum. Some make it to the level of super-stardom expected of their young talents, others burn out. For Rok-C time will only tell if she reaches the believed heights her barely three-year-long-trained talents could take her. As of now though, Rok-C has impressed like few have in and out of ROH. Before her time in Ring of Honor, Rok-C really made a name for herself courtesy of Hall of Famer Booker T.’s Reality of Wrestling.
Rok-C rose up the women’s division rankings; eventually earning the company’s Diamonds Division Championship before successfully defending it for ten months. Rok-C’s first ROH appearance saw her go fifteen minutes in a tag match that was ruled a draw. Those unfamiliar about Rok-C’s talents sang her praises after that match and that support followed & grew when she overcame Laynie Luck in her subsequent ROH outing.
Now “The Prodigy” comes for the first Women of Honor champion – a woman who laid the foundation for not only the Women of Honor, but also SHIMMER by bringing serious women’s wrestling to the indie world in the early 2000s. The road to winning the first ROH Women of Honor Championship was a tough one for Sumie Sakai. The veteran had to overcome the late Hana Kimura, Kagetsu, Tenille Dashwood, and, finally, Kelly Klein. Sakai’s reign lasted eight months and saw her overcome Jenny Rose, Dashwood, international & STARDOM stars like Hazuki and Chardonnay, and Madison Rayne. After losing the title and her career hitting something of a standstill, Sakai flipped the script on her attitude by dishonorably attacking the likes of Session Moth Martina and fellow tournament entry Nicole Savoy. Since the Women Division’s return, Sakai has gone 2-1 with her sole singles match seeing the former WOH champion overcoming The Righteous’ Vita VonStarr.
Rok-C has shown an ability to overcome the odds, but has yet to face an opponent in ROH who has the willingness to do whatever it takes to win. Though Sumie is a favorite to win simply because of her past of actually winning a title tournament, Rok-C has to be the tournament’s biggest hopeful as she’ll overcome the odds like she’s done so much in her career thus far and advance in something of a shocker.
ROH World Women’s Championship Tournament 1st Round: Marti Belle vs. Trish Adora
Marti Belle – known for her time in Impact Wrestling and being a part of the inaugural Mae Young Classic – has spent so much time alongside and fighting against a majority of the competition in this tournament. Belle’s last ROH appearance occurred over two years ago where she fell to old friend and future fellow tournament entry Allysin Kay when the latter was the NWA World Women’s champion. But the loss didn’t stop her for achieving success including picking up a SHINE Tag Team Championship victory and, most importantly in regards to this tournament, a big win over none other than her first-round opponent.
The Pan-Afrikan World Diaspora Wrestling champion Trish Adora has become one of the standouts in independent wrestling over the past two years in her only four-year-long career. Mixing grappling & brawling (alongside a touch of cute mockery when she’s able to out-wrestle her opponents), the master of her devastating “Lariat Tubman” clothesline has pushed herself like few others of the past year; actually wrestling both men and women including defeating former ROH World Television champion Tony Deppen in a sixty-minute Iron match two falls to one. Adora has also successfully shared a ring with the likes of O’Shay Edwards, former CHIKARA Grand champion Kimber Lee, and Willow Nightingale who is also involved in this tournament.
For all the positives currently occurring in her career, Adora’s ROH record isn’t very strong at this point having lost both a singles match to Miranda Alize, and a tag bout also featuring Alize. Expect Trish to change her fortunes with this bout and advance to the next round.
ROH World Women’s Championship Tournament 1st Round: Miranda Alize vs. Alex Gracia
There’s nothing like taking a chance on yourself in the world of professional wrestling. For Miranda Alize, taking a chance on herself meant moving to Mexico to learn lucha libre from those who have spent the better part of their lives performing the unique style. Alize’s talents before her decision actually took her beyond what many expected including competing in SHIMMER, becoming a success in Booker T.’s Reality of Wrestling promotion, and even competing in the second Mae Young Classic tournament.
But her time in Mexico revealed just how much she had to learn and what it could do to make her an even stronger competitor – something she’s displayed time & time again including in her two appearances in ROH thus far. The “Lucha Baddie” has one of the better records since ROH restarted its Women’s division by tapping out both Trish Adora and Mazzerati with her “Miranda Rights” crossface submission. Thought there a lot more recognizable names in the tournament, few have shown the will the win more than Alize… other than her opponent in the first round.
Alex Gracia got her start in her home state of Texas just like Miranda, but her road to this tournament was quite different. Gracia took her time honing her skills under the watchful eye of Booker T., growing as a competitor until the point she became one of Reality of Wrestling’s key figures in its Women’s division. Eventually Gracia gained the chance to travel just like her opponent, competing in Mexico for CMLL and STARDOM in Japan; as well as AEW and SHIMMER in the US. Unlike Miranda, Gracia’s ROH tenure hasn’t been all roses as “The Pink Dream” lost her debut match to Willow. Alex rebounded to defeat Gia Scott with her “Beautiful Nightmare” neck breaker and now has some momentum as a dark horse in this tournament.
One of the most interesting variables regarding this one is their experience with one another. They’ve competed in several multi-person & tag team bouts. Their only singles encounter before this one saw Gracia win via disqualification. This is another pick-em of an encounter that doesn’t necessarily have a favorite, but the winner may definitely surprise everyone in regards to how far they make it in the tournament.
ROH World Women’s Championship Tournament 1st Round: Allysin Kay vs. Willow
One of the most revered stars on the independent wrestling scene, Allysin Kay has battled many and won championships in almost every promotion she’s been a part of including Impact Wrestling and the NWA. Interestingly enough it was when Allysin Kay reigned as the NWA World Women’s champion that she made her most recent ROH appearance, besting frequent tag team partner and fellow tournament entry Marti Belle. “The AK-47” is nothing short of a marvel in the ring with her ability to match up against almost any talent stylistically and make them work at her pace before taking them down with a devastating discus lariat or locking in a variety of submissions including a cobra clutch, Muta Lock, or Koji clutch for a tap out victory.
Opposing Kay is someone who doesn’t have the same level experience as her, but an individual who too has left a lasting impression everywhere she goes, Willow. Known to have the last name of Nightingale throughout the independent wrestling world, Willow is the type of wrestler that shouldn’t be judged simply by physical appearances or how care-free she is during her entrance where she’ll dance her way to the ring. Willow is a hard-hitting bruiser who has the agility of someone half her size – something many bear witnessed to when she finally made her ROH debut earlier this year. Facing off with future tournament entrant Alex Gracia, Willow fought through the pain dished out by “The Pink Dream” and gave it back in kind before finishing her off with a super kick that allowed Willow to hit her devastating “Dangerous Bang” gut-wrench sit-out power bomb. “The Girl With the Power” is strong enough to dominate opponents and tough enough to last when pushed to her limits.
This will mark their first match not only in ROH, but in all recorded history. While Kay definitely has to be the favorite to win both this match & the entire tourney on experience alone, Willow is another dark horse in this tournament considering her opening round opposition. If Willow can do the seemingly impossible and overcome Kay, it’s hard to believe she won’t go all the way to the finals; if not win the whole shebang.
ROH World Women’s Championship Tournament 1st Round: Holidead vs. Max the Impaler
Hailing from “The Wasteland”, Max the Impaler obviously has the appearance made for an experience like “Fallout” or “Mad Max”; and she’s just as vicious to handle herself in those environments. Max’s time in ROH thus far has been nothing short of awe-inspiring with her utter destruction of the globe-trotting Hyan where she displayed a sturdy base, impressive strength, and a brutal sit-down Canadian backbreaker. The most interesting aspect about Max in regards to her time in ROH isn’t the chaos in the ring she’s caused, but the alliance she’s formed with former La Faccion Ingobernable manager Amy Rose. Rose literally sicced Max on former Women of Honor champion Sumie Sakai, Miranda Alize, Trish Adora & Mazzerati after their tag bout before she wrecked the timekeeper. The same thing happened weeks later when Allie Recks attempted to make an opportunity for herself.
But before Max became ROH’s resident fearsome force, Holidead was scaring opponents across the world including in Ring of Honor. After making a name for herself alongside Thunder Rosa as The Twisted Sisters, Holidead took opportunities to strike out on her own just like her partner. What resulted from this decision was a litany of fantastic matches against stars such as Toni Storm, Shotzi Blackheart, and former Women of Honor champion Mayu Iwatani. In ROH, Holidead’s record actually isn’t as impressive as her opponent’s with her most recent appearance resulting in a loss to Jenny Rose over two years ago. Though her ROH record may not be stellar, Holidead’s abilities are and will take her far when given the opportunity. This will truly be a battle of the barbarians with it being anyone’s match to win before potentially overcoming former Women of Honor champion Angelina Love in the second round.
ROH World Women’s Championship Tournament 1st Round: Mandy Leon vs. Quinn McKay
For about a year, Mandy Leon and Deonna Purrazzo campaigned to ROH officials in hopes of reviving the company’s infrequent Women’s Division. In 2015 their dream became a reality as they competed against one another in the first Women of Honor match – a match that Leon failed to win. But the young competitor refused to be deterred and would spend the next four years being an honorable competitor. Then the “G1 Supercard” occurred. On that night Mandy revealed both a different attitude and a pair of new allies, Angelina Love and Velvet Sky. The trio would become known as “The Allure” and blazed a path that helped Angelina Love win the Women of Honor Championship twice.
Before the pandemic shut everything down, The Allure became nothing short of frustrated with new ROH TV host and general interviewer Quinn McKay. McKay didn’t bite her tongue when referencing The Allure; causing a war of words that became a war in the ring. McKay’s in-ring debut saw her go toe-to-toe with Angelina Love and almost win before a distraction from Leon allowed the former WOH titleholder to kick Quinn on the jaw for a knockout blow. After several weeks, McKay was gifted another opportunity to enter the Women’s Championship tournament by taking on none other than Mandy herself. McKay handled herself incredibly well, but the numbers were too much as Love gave Leon brass knuckles that she used to lay out McKay for the three count.
All seemed lost for McKay in regards to getting revenge against The Allure, as well as gaining a spot in the ROH World Women’s title tournament. Then Maria Kanellis-Bennett gifted Quinn the unexpected: a fan vote that ROH officials will uphold its result either overturning McKay’s loss to Leon or maintaining the referee’s ruling. With ninety-five percent of voters in favor of Quinn being in, McKay will not only enter the tournament, but also potentially gain a measure of revenge against Leon. One of the previous match’s biggest variables won’t be an issue as Angelina is barred from ringside for the match. This match could see McKay make it through Leon in a shocker of an upset to set the stage for McKay-Angelina Love II in the semis.
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