We open up with QT Marshall in a promo released on ROH social media earlier today, where he announces that as personal favor to Paul Wight and the Board of Directors (remember that?), he will take his TV Title shot at Komander next on the 100th Episode of ROH on Honor Club. He says after he wins, Paul Wight will look him in the eyes and apologize.
After that, Ian and Caprice run down the card. Blake Christian is in action, we have multiple 8-man tags, and Red Velvet in Proving Ground action. So now let’s head to the ring!
MATCH 1 – Katsuyori Shibata, Komander and The Outrunners vs. Dylan & Zach Stewart, Rosario Grillo, and Colby Carter
The slight sepia tone, graphic transitions, and even static during The Outrunners entrance is fantastic, and something that I feel like classic ROH would have done if they had the money early on. Or an act that justified it. After all, they ran co-branded shows with CHIKARA, so despite their , and had Sweet & Sour Incorporated, so they were definitely not above comedy. If ROH does not strap up The Outrunners, then I honestly don’t even know what we’re doing here. They are SO over, and it’s not like your tag titles are doing anything critical at the moment. I swear I’ve seen the Stew Crew somewhere before, but as I look through their Cagematch, I don’t recognize anything else. They’ve worked some NWA, and independents around the Tennessee area. All told, this got WAY more time than I would have anticipated, but seeing the rather unique personalities on the babyface team interact proves to be a lot of fun.
Katsuyori Shibata, Komander and The Outrunners def. Dylan & Zach Stewart, Rosario Grillo and Colby Carter (Shibata pins Grillo) after a PK in 7:47.
After an ad for AEW Revolution, we hear from Shane Taylor in a pre-tape. “Whoever, whenver, wherever. That is the motto of Shane taylor Promotions. He says where he comes from, fights don’t end until someone is knocked out, tapped out, or chalked out. These are fantastic, and are showing everyone what an amazing talker Shane Taylor is, and I’m going to reiterate that he NEEDS to be ROH World Champion sooner than later.
MATCH 2 – Tony Nese vs. The Beast Mortos
Against Mark Sterling’s better judgement (and at the behest of Josh Woods), they’re going to try the catchphrase one more time. It goes about as well as you’d expect. We follow the Code of Honor and we’re off. Nese’s power and athleticism doesn’t get him anywhere with Mortos, but he’s able to briefly outsmart the beast, until power takes back over. A Nese crossbody deflects off Mortos, but then Mortos lays in a quick series of strikes to drop Nese as well. Ian and Caprice discuss his transitioning from power to speed to striking in rapid succession, and how it really makes him a dangerous competitor. The match heads to the floor with Mortos taking out the Premier Athletes with a tornillo, and then battering Nese around ringside. Mortos sends him back in but a distraction from Woods allows Nese to take control again. Nese teases a vertical suplex into the announce table but decides the crowd doesn’t deserve to see it and sends Mortos back in for a chinlock. Mike Posey ejects Woods and Daivari which always gets a cheer. Shortly thereafter, Mortos finishes with his inverted scoop piledriver.
The Beast Mortos pins Tony Nese with The Spike (inverted scoop piledriver) in 10:05.
Meanwhile backstage, much to Ian’s delight, MXM ARE HERE. They congratulate Sammy and Dustin on retaining in the Tokyo Dome, but they are making their claims on the ROH World Tag Team Titles. They say the Sons of Texas consider themselves tough guys. Texas Death Match. Texas Bullrope Match.
Mansoor: MXM knows how to get hardcore.
Madden: And we know how to get tied up.
I can’t top that. MXM is coming for the tag team titles.
MATCH 3 – Blake Christian vs. Parker Li
Okay, I was befuddled as to why ice cream is so integral to Blake’s iconography now. Then Ian reminds me that his nickname is “Vanilla Baby” now, and it sort of makes sense. Li appears to have the state of Oregon tattooed on his right pectoral muscle, and the hair is giving me Paul London vibes. Some (admittedly very quick) research shows him as a 4-year pro based out of Georgia and trained at the Nightmare Factory. He’s done a lot of work with Coastal Championship Wrestling based out of Florida as well. Blake Christian’s spear on the apron with him rolling back in the ring is such a clever move, and makes sense in that why would you want to crash to the apron or the floor if you can avoid it? Christian finishes with a running knee strike while Li is draped over the bottom rope.
Blake Christian pins Parker Li with a knee strike in 4:19.
We get some footage of Athena defending the title in STARDOM against Thekla, including some beautifully heartfelt comments from Athena afterwards, about what a dream this is for her.
MATCH 4 – Red Velvet vs. Angelica Risk
As we learned a couple weeks ago with QT Marshall, Risk does not need to beat Velvet here to earn a future TV Title shot. She just needs to last 10 minutes. Risk uses power and striking early, and relentless trash talking to get in Velvet’s head. Velvet beat Risk on AEW Dark Elevation in August of 2021. Velvet heads to the outside and catches Risk in the ring apron to cut off a dive, and takes back over. Ian and Caprice mention that Risk has beaten Velvet before on the independents. I can’t find a record of that, but I have no reason to doubt them, so there’s that. After a pretty solid back and forth, Velvet finishes off Risk with a left hand, just called “The Lick” apparently.
Red Velvet pins Angelica Risk with The Lick (left punch) in 5:58.
After an ad for Grand Slam Australia, we come back to a reminder that next week for the 100th Episode, we’ll have Komander taking on QT Marshall for the ROH World TV Title. So with that in mind our historical match is a trip back to the first match on the first episode of ROH on Honor Club, Mark Briscoe vs. Slim J. Sure, why not.
MATCH 5 (HISTORIC) – Mark Briscoe vs. Slim J – ROH on Honor Club Ep. 1
I miss you, Universal tapings. This was back during the weird phase where they gave Daivari his own group, the Trustbusters, in case you forgot. Remember Parker Boudreaux? This was also where we stashed Sonny Kiss, though for this one it was just Slim J with Daivari and Sterling on the outside. Slim J was a solid enough high-flyer, and Caprice rightly points out that a lot of folks took inspiration from him while he was in NWA Wildside, but by 2023, there were a lot of guys that could do what he did. Anyway, after a solid TV match, Mark polishes off Slim J with–appropriately enough–the Jay Driller.
Mark Briscoe pins Slim J with the Jay Driller in 9:00.
MATCH 6 – Shane Taylor Promotions (Shane Taylor & Lee Moriarty) and LEEJ (Lee Johnson and EJ Nduka) vs. Boulder, Serpentico and Dark Order (Alex Reynolds & Evil Uno)
Boulder is on his own because Bronson is out following a back injury–or more accurately an accumulation of back problems. Glad for his sake he’s getting healthy. If I’m not mistaken, Angelico and John Silver are both nicked up too, leading to this rather unique team. That said, Serpentico standing next to Boulder on the apron is a pretty fantastic visual. Ian and Caprice point out that Serpentico keeps telegraphic and taking too much time, and sure enough, Nduka low bridges him in the ropes and bludgeons him on the outside to take over. Boulder gets the hot tag and it’s just power displays one on top of the other, including a samoan drop on Moriarty with a fallaway slam on Johnson at the same time. Though perhaps more impressive is catching Shane Taylor on a cross body and hitting a powerslam for a great two. Another face-off between the two draws a MEAT chant from the crowd, and a double clothesline puts them both down. Johnson and Serpentico hit dueling frog splashes on the downed big men of the opposing teams. Serpentico takes out Johnson with a back body drop to the floor onto his partners, but falls victim to the Border City Stretch for the tap out.
Shane Taylor Promotions & LEEJ def. Boulder, Serpentico & Dark Order (Moriarty taps Serpentico) with the Border City Stretch in 11:45.
STP and LEEJ celebrate in the ring, and Ian thanks us for 99 episodes, asks us to come back for 100 next week, and wishes us HAPPY WRESTLING, EVERYBODY!
THE NUMBERS
Total Episode Time: 1:11:41
Total Match Time: 0:48:54 (68.2%)
Average Match Time: 8:09
Average Match Time (not inc’l Historical): 7:59
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