We open up with interviews from after Death Before Dishonor. Bandido says that while some people disrespect the ROH World Title, to him it means family, it means la raza, and it’s the most important thing in his life. He wants to be champion one day more every day. And he doesn’t care who he needs to beat to stay champion. Fantastic interview, overflowing with passion you can feel. 10/10.
After the intro, it’s Ian and Caprice from the desk in Reading, Pennsylvania, and I saw some scuttlebutt about this on social media but that sure looks like Heidi Howitzer behind them. They go through a VERY quick photo slideshow from Death Before Dishonor, with poor Ian trying desperately to keep up.
Then, it’s another interview, this time with Athena. No one is going to beat her. It doesn’t matter if they’re international favorites or hometown heroes. When they step in with her, they’re going to get broken. And every time the crowd boos, she breaks another porcelain hussy.
MATCH 1 – Lacey Lane vs. Deonna Purrazzo – Women’s Pure Proving Ground Match
This is Lacey’s first ever Pure Rules match, that I’m aware of. For those who don’t know, welcome to your first ever ROH show because we have to have done well over a hundred of these by now since Tony Khan purchased ROH in 2022. Anyway, Proving Ground matches are 10 minutes long. If you last the time limit or beat the champion in that time, you earn a future title shot. Lane uses speed and some unorthodox pin combinations to keep Purrazzo off guard early. Lane locks in a twisting leglock into a Trailer Hitch, forcing Purrazzo to use a rope break a little over three minutes in. Lane keeps working the leg and has controlled the majority of this match. Purrazzo takes over with a high angle powerbomb, and locks in the Fujiwara armbar, but Lane takes a rope break herself. Lane gets a Finlay roll into the corner, follows up with a running hip attack and a superkick, but Purrazzo fires back a pump kick for a double down. Purrazzo chases the Fujiwara a couple times, but instead lands a nasty German, followed by kind of an inverted half-nelson throw for the three count.
Deonna Purrazzo pins Lacey Lane in 7:14 with a suplex.
Earlier today, Action Andretti gives a quick interview. He says you’d better get used to seeing him as champion, and he is now the most dangerous man in Ring of Honor. HOOK and Anthony Bowens congratulate him, but Shibata enters and does not look impressed. That leads us to…
MATCH 2 – Action Andretti vs. Boom Harden
Ian theorizes that this could be a huge opportunity for Harden given what Andretti’s body went through at Death Before Dishonor. I don’t hold that level of optimism. Andretti attacks off the Code of Honor, and just keeps pouring it on, a dive to the outside, rolling through a missed springboard 450 and scoring with a couple kicks. Andretti hits a fireman’s carry into a neckbreaker for the quick win.
Action Andretti pins Boom Harden in 1:39 with a fireman’s carry neckbreaker.
As Action is leaving and jawing with the fans, The Rascalz make their entrance. All three make eyes at the TV Title belt, with Desmond Xavier looking the longest. File that away, I guess because…
MATCH 3 – The Rascalz (Dezmond Xavier, Myron Reed & Zachary Wentz) vs. Aaron Solo, Nick Comoroto & Tome Filip
Filip mostly competes out of Australia and was part of the 2024 World Tag League for New Japan Pro Wrestling. He and Xavier start. Wentz tags in quickly, and it’s just a showcase for double and triple teams as the Rascalz clear the ring quickly. They isolate Filip, and then it’s a Swanton, then a Tumbleweed, then a 450 and it’s over in a heartbeat.
The Rascalz def. Aaron Solo, Nick Comoroto & Tome Filip (Reed pins Filip) with a 450 splash (Reed pins Filip) in 1:33.
A video package detailing Preston Vance and the Dark Order. Short version is Preston has seen the error of his ways when The Frat House beat him up and kicked him out, and Dark Order came to his rescue. Uno wants to let him back in, Silver does not like or trust him, and Reynolds seems caught in the middle. We’ll see how this continues to develop.
MATCH 4 – The Beast Mortos vs. Rob Vegas
Vegas waves off the Code of Honor and Beast destroys him, finishing with a pop-up Samoan drop.
The Beast Mortos pins Rob Vegas with a pop-up Samoan drop in 0:24.
Caprice Coleman CHOPS IT UP with Bryan Keith. Well, his tag team partner is back in WWE. Keith says time is money, and he could be making money right now, but he respects Caprice. Keith says he came out of Texas just like Stan Hansen, just like Terry Funk. He says his career is a slow burn, and he’s here to cement himself along names like Samoa Joe, Christopher Daniels, and ROH legends. Fun little interview, and I appreciate these segments as it gives talent an opportunity to shine in a slightly less regimented atmosphere.
MATCH 5 – Brian Cage & RPG Vice vs. Joey Martinez, Kiran Grey, & Oxx Adams
Beretta hops on the mic and thanks Don Callis for setting up this easy win. He says they embarrassed Mistico and Mascara Dorada at Death Before Dishonor, and they’re about to embarrass these three. Beretta and Grey start. Grey almost gets a three count off a quick roll-up and clotheslines Beretta to the outside. Cage tags in and immediately starts tossing Grey around. Grey eats a Death Valley driver; Martinez eats a pop-up powerbomb and a sole butt. Adams comes in a goozles Cage, but Cage peels off the hand, and hits a solebutt, a superkick, and a discus clothesline. Cage hits an F5, and the family takes turns charging Adams in the corner. On the outside, Lance Archer chokeslams Grey on the apron, and levels Martinez with a forearm. Back in, Grey catches Beretta with a quick small package for two. Rocky hits a running Shiranuai, Beretta hits a running knee, and Strong Zero finishes.
Brian Cage & RPG Vice def. Joey Martinez, Kiran Grey, & Oxx Adams (Beretta pins Grey) with Strong Zero in 3:43.
Backstage, Sammy Guevara and The Beast Mortos have had some setbacks, but the future is bright for them and for LFI. They’re going to get the World Tag Team titles, back, and next week, Mortos is going to beat Bandido.
MATCH 6 – Vertvixen & Viva Van vs. Red Velvet & Zayda Steel
Vertvixen and Viva Van took an L to Queen Aminata and Mina Shirakawa at the Death Before Dishonor Zero Hour, and for those unaware, Fightful confirmed earlier this week that Vertvixen is, in fact, under ROH/AEW contract. Van and Steel start, as the Code of Honor becomes a…Hug of Honor? Either way, Velvet tags in, and eats a suplex and gets trapped in the corner of the Fightin V’s. Quick tags and Van gets a couple two counts on Velvet. Vertvixen clears the apron, but Steel fights her off. Velvet hits a spinkick and tags Steel. Steel runs into a spinwheel kick for two. Van goes for her Ocean Cyclone suplex, but Steel reverses into her spinning tomikaze for the win.
Red Velvet & Zayda Steel def. Vertvixen & Viva Van (Steel pins Van) with a spinning tomikaze in 2:58.
Back from a video package, it’s official. Next week, it’s Bandido vs. The Beast Mortos for the ROH World Title.
Backstage, The Lethal Twist. Jay Lethal has won every title there is to win in ROH, and Blake Christian reminds us that they’re just getting started.
MATCH 7 – The Premier Athletes (Ariya Daivari & Tony Nese) vs. The Bang Bang Gang (Juice Robinson & Ace Austin)
Sterling is wearing a neck brace after his horrifying fall last week, and can’t do the cheer, so BEEF leads it. It still doesn’t work. Stray Bullet is probably a better nickname than Rock Hard, if we’re being honest. Even though Juice still has Rock Hard on his ring vest. Ian philosophizes about how we all have people who even in the worst times, even if we don’t like them, we don’t wish them harm. He says even though he doesn’t like Sterling, it wasn’t good to watch that last week. Daivari and Robinson start and Juice quickly takes control. Austin tags in, but Nese hits a thrust to the throat and the Athletes take over. Quick tags working over Austin in the corner, but he rolls through a back suplex and tags in Juice, who runs wild, hits a big senton, and then…yup, pretends to be a dog peeing on Nese. Who, God bless him, sells it. Juice hits his jabs and goes for the Left Hand of God, but Nese cuts it off with a side headlock, and gets a blind tag from Daivari when Juice goes to shoot him off, and Daivari hits a big clothesline to keep control. Daivari hits a Hammerlock DDT but misses the Flying Carpet Splash. Nese and Austin both tag in and Austin keeps control on both Athletes. Austin grabs both Athletes in a fireman’s carry and squats them both before a double Samoan drop. Sterling distracts and eats a superkick for his trouble. The Athletes go for a Magic Killer, maybe? but Robinson breaks it up. Juice hits the Left Hand of God on Nese, and Austin adds The Fold for the win.
The Bang Bang Gang def. The Premier Athletes (Austin pins Nese) with The Fold in 8:04.
The Bang Bang Gang celebrates as Ian runs down what’s coming up this weekend ahead of All In London, and wishes HAPPY WRESTLING, EVERYBODY.
THE NUMBERS
Total Run Time: 1:02:58
Total Ring Time: 26:35 (42.2%)
Avg. Match Time: 3:48
Absolutely Squash City this week, as we’re coming out of Death Before Dishonor, and absent a couple of Global Wars type cards, likely have nothing major on the horizon until Final Battle in early-mid December. As much as I love some of the talent on the show this week, it wasn’t a great outing from ROH. But even despite that, the hour positively flew by, and the two matches that actually got time were solid. Even if it wasn’t the best show in the world, there are far worse ways to spend an hour. Regardless, I know I’m looking forward to a World Title match next week, more on the Dark Order story, and we’ll have another set of WJCT tapings in Jacksonville soon.
