To little surprise, we open up with a recap of AEW Dynasty on Sunday, as Bandido was crowned the NEW ROH World Champion, after defeating Chris Jericho in a Title vs. Mask match after a restart by referee Bryce Remsburg. Bandido will be in action tonight as he takes on former ROH World Champion Jay Lethal in a Proving Ground match. Ian and Caprice run down the card, and we’re seeing a lot of returns tonight.
MATCH 1 – MxM Collection & Johnny TV vs. Ryan Matthews, Jordan Kross, & Drake Daniels
Taya Valkyrie is out with Johnny and she is carrying the ROH Six Man title belt stolen from Dustin Rhodes a couple weeks ago. Jordan Kross is in the long pink and black trunks, as he and Johnny TV start. Kross twerks at Johnny, and eats a rolling neckbreaker and a kick to the butt for his trouble. The belt is also apparently bedazzled, as we get a closeup of it. Matthews tries to attack Madden from behind and it goes poorly. He tries to blame Kross, but it doesn’t work. He eats a sidewalk slam/legdrop combo. Daniels gets tagged in and gets a Death Valley Driver with double knees. Madden gets up Kross for a chokeslam, and Matthews comes in (screaming “THAT’S MY FRIEND!” only to get booted in the face for his efforts. They pick up Daniels for a triple team version of MNM’s old “snapshot” elevated DDT and all three pin him for the win.
MxM Collection & Johnny TV def. Ryan Matthews, Jordan Kross & Drake Daniels (all three pin Daniels) with a triple team elevated DDT in 4:30.
We take a look at the tag match from Collision with Athena and Julia Hart defeating Mercedes Mone and Harley Cameron. It’ll be Athena vs. Cameron this Saturday, with the winner taking on Mercedes in the Owen Hart Cup semifinals.
MATCH 2 – Marina Shafir vs. Nixi XS
This is Marina’s first match back on ROH since early August. From the Code of Honor, Shafir does not let go, and buries several kicks a number of judo throws, and just ragdolls poor Nixi, who per CCagematch is 22, and mostly works out of the midwest independents. Before I can even blink, Shafir grabs a version of the Mother’s Milk inverted choke and gets a quick tap out.
Marina Shafir def. Nixi XS with Mother’s Milk in 1:15.
We cut to comments from Dustin Rhodes and the Von Erichs who will be in action later tonight. They share their disappointment and anger over MxM and Johnny stealing the title belt, and Dustin lays down the challenge for next week.
MATCH 3 – Preston Vance vs. Tomohiro Ishii
Ian refers to The Frat House as million dollar bodies, ten cent morals. Ishii is of course a former ROH World TV Champion. Ishii wastes no time laying in strikes. Jameson at ringside hooks Ishii and the distraction leads to a pump kick and after Jameson gets a few shots in on the outside, Vance takes control. Vance tries the striking game himself and it doesn’t go well. Say what you will about Don Callis, but when he sat in on commentary and referred to Ishii as a head like a cinder block and built like a fire hydrant, he hit the nail on the head. Ishii gets two off a delayed suplex, but Vance is able to recover with a spear for two. Ishii ducks the discus lariat and hits a couple suplexes of his own. Jameson goes for the distraction again and Ishii literally grabs him by the jaw and Vance accidentally disposes of him with a pump kick. Vance scores with the discus lariat for two. Headbutt and sheer drop brainbuster finishes for the Stone Pitbull.
Tomohiro Ishii def. Preston Vance with sheer drop brainbuster in 6:19.
After the match, Ishii mockingly calls in Jameson, but heads to the back as Jameson complains that Ishii broke his nose. “If you break your nose, you KNOW it.” –Caprice
We cut to exclusive comments from Bandido after winning the ROH World Title at Dynasty. He tells Alicia Atout what dream this is for him, and credits his mother as being the real champ, for everything she’s done for him and his brothers through the years. In case you haven’t lately, tell your mothers you love them, while you still can. I’m thankful I’m still able to do that, but not everyone can.
MATCH 4 – Dustin Rhodes & The Von Erichs (Ross & Marshall) vs. Davey Bang, Dominic Garrini & Kevin Ku
The budget version of “Stranglehold” that the Von Erichs are using is decent enough. Of course, Garrini and Ku comprise the indie team “Violence is Forever” and were seen as security last week on Dynamite. They are currently in their second reign as GCW Tag Team Champions, and have also held tag gold in DPW, C4, and for IWTV, among others. Bang teams with August Matthews on the independents as Bang & Matthews, or depending on the promotion, the Bang Bros. You can understand why some promotions don’t like to use that name though. Ku starts with Dustin, after kicking away the Code of Honor. Davey Bang goes to bury a knee in Dustin’s back, laughs in his face and gets popped for it. Ross tags in with a gorgeous dropkick on Ku, and Garrini enters. Bang is able to get in a and take control briefly, and the indie superteam in the heel corner is able to take over. VIF hits a nice saito suplex/gamengiri combination for two. Marshall gets the hot tag and goes wild. Does it count as a “big boot” if you’re not actually wearing boots? Asking for all the pedants. Marshall clears the ring, and Davey makes the mistake of leaping off the top rope at Marshall, who catches him in THE CLAW. Bang eats a spinning claw slam for the three count.
Dustin Rhodes & The Von Erichs def. Davey Bang, Dominic Garrini & Kevin Ku (Marshall Von Erich pins Davey Bang) with the spinning claw slam in 4:46.
In a backstage promo, Taya Valkyrie says she’s gunning for the ROH Women’s World TV Title, but one person is standing in her way: La Catalina. She lays down the challenge, and indeed, immediately after, we learn that Taya will face La Catalina next week with the winner getting a future ROH Women’s World TV Title match.
MATCH 5 – Bandido vs. Jay Lethal – ROH World Title Proving Ground Match
The strap is back to basic black, so glad for that. The white camo literally dated back to Mark Briscoe, and I don’t know why they kept it with Jericho. This is a first time ever singles match, but they’ve been sort of linked in the sense that Lethal stepped in for Bandido at Final Battle 2021, when he tested positive for COVID, ruining a planned World Title defense against Jonathan Gresham. Gresham would go on to beat Lethal for the vacant title just before ROH went on hiatus before the Tony Khan purchase. A respectful Code of Honor handshake starts, as Lethal knows what ROH is all about. His last ROH singles match, however, was a win over QT Marshall at Final Battle. Unless you count the Jericho cruise episode, which was in late January. Bandido exhibits the duality of his skillset by scoring with a quebrada to the outside, but then is also able to hit a pop-up cutter, and multiple tilt-a-whirl backbreakers. Lethal escapes the X-Knee and drills Bandido with a lariat. Lethal goes to the legs, locking in the figure four and continuing to work the knee. Ian discusses Lethal’s lengthy accolades in ROH, as I reflect how amazing it is that Lethal’s ROH debut was all the way back in 2003. Lethal goes for the Lethal Injection, but Bandido catches him with the X-Knee, and the 21-Plex finishes.
Bandido def. Jay Lethal with the 21-Plex in 5:26.
Lethal rolls back in the ring, and follows the Code of Honor. Bandido shows his respect to Lethal’s legacy in ROH by offering to put the belt on his shoulder, which Lethal politely refuses before leaving. Bandido celebrates as Ian wishes us HAPPY WRESTLING, EVERYBODY.
THE NUMBERS
Total Episode Time: 46:15
Total Match Time: 22:16 (48.1%)
Average Match Time: 4:27
