The afternoon in which this episode aired, a few friends of mine sent me a collage of match graphics for this episode. I laughed because in the collage were 19 matches, and I thought whoever put that together was making a joke about ROH having too many matches on their card. They do, and that was still the case with this week’s episode, but Twitter had announced “only” 12 matches lined up for this episode, not 19.

To my shock and horror, inexplicably, ROH announced seven more matches were being added to the episode the same day it aired. That collage wasn’t a joke – it was a looming threat. Here I was, staring down nineteen matches to review. I’ve had my issues with ROH since its relaunch in March, but for whatever reason, this obscene amount of matches pushed me over the edge. It was made worse seeing people defend this choice, but you’re bound to get weirdos needlessly defending every action no matter what fandom you encounter.

Nineteen matches on a show is exhausting if you actually watch the show, but for most, just seeing that many matches on a card is so off-putting and absurd that they won’t even bother. It would be one thing if most of those matches had value, but as we’ll discuss a little later, the company themselves indirectly stated that under 20% of the matches on this week’s episodes are worthwhile. The only “argument” I’ve seen in support of nineteen matches is having that many matches equals a great value. This “argument” illuminated for me exactly what is going on with Ring of Honor – they have reduced its weekly to show to simply being content.

Much like any other streaming service, Honor Club is about the volume of stuff they offer its consumer, not necessarily the quality of that content. It’s about being able to boast how many shows or hours are on its service. Who wrestles in the matches on these shows and whether or not they have any substance means nothing to them – it’s how many matches they can boast about having on their show each week. It’s hoping you’re loyal enough to the letters “ROH” to pony up $10 a month and accept whatever slop they give you on a weekly basis. They don’t care if it’s competent or satisfying, and have no expectation or care if you remember a second of what you just watched the moment the show ends. This evil mindset is insulting to your intelligence and time.

This sad reality is reinforced when you notice how little thought or effort is put into this show. Again, they tacked on seven matches to an episode the day it aired. Why? Allegedly the reason is because “they filmed too much stuff and need to dump it somewhere.” Does a company that ends up seven matches heavy because they can’t be bothered to plan the episodes ahead sound like a company putting effort and thought into its output? Them not caring about this show has made me not care about this show. Truthfully, I sometimes dread it. There is no worse feeling than turning on this show every week and feeling like I wasted my time for two hours (or in the case of this week, three hours). The show as it exists right now isn’t worth my time or yours.

There is potential for change in the near future. The word going around is that ROH will soon be taped on Saturday’s along with the AEW “Collision.” If the show is ever going to change, that will be the time where the change occurs. I have decided that if the weekly show exhibits no appreciable positive change by Death Before Dishonor, which will likely take place 4-6 weeks after Collision’s debut, I will be done reviewing this iteration of Ring of Honor. Appreciable change means a shortened, more focused show with more meaningful matches and stories. I think a month and change after its new taping time has been established to determine if it will be worth my time in the future is more than fair.

As for this week, there was no way I was going to watch and review all 19 of these matches. YOUR time is too valuable to read about those matches. But how does one determine which of those matches matter? I could probably suss those out for myself – after watching this iteration of ROH for three months, I have a pretty good idea by looking at a card which matches will be worthwhile. Fortunately, in an embarrassing reply to a fan whose assessment of this episode was absolutely correct, ROH explicitly told us there were three featured bouts amongst the nineteen, or rather, 16% of the matches worth watching. So, I will follow the company’s guidance, and review only those three matches.

But first, we do have a title match from Dynamite to check out. If anyone ever tells you ROH and AEW are separate brands, ask them why an ROH Tag Title match main evented an episode of Dynamite that took place days before an AEW PPV:

ROH World Tag Team Championship
The Lucha Brothers (Penta El Zero Miedo & Rey Fenix) vs. The Blackpool Combat Club (Claudio Castagnoli & Wheeler Yuta)
AEW Dynamite #190 – Las Vegas, NV – 5.24.2023

The Lucha Brothers have been champion since 3.31.2023 and this is their second defense. Alex Abrahantes is in their corner. Claudio defeated Fenix two weeks ago to earn this match for his team. The champions take out the challengers on the outside with stereo suicide dives, followed by separate dives off of the top turnbuckle. Penta has Yuta pinned with the Friggin’ Sweet Driver and Claudio comes to his rescue. Claudio also saves Yuta from a double stomp/Package Piledriver combo, and Yuta does the same for Claudio moments later. Claudio wipes out Fenix mid-air with an uppercut to block a springboard attack. The BCC beat down Fenix during the commercial break. Fenix reverses a Ricola Bomb with a Code Red and tags in Penta, who takes down Claudio with a headscissors and powerbombs Yuta onto his knees. The Lucha Bros double superkick Yuta. Penta takes out Claudio with a Canadian Destroyer, and Fenix gives Yuta a sit-out tombstone piledriver for two. Yuta reverses a prawn hold from Fenix, sending him into an uppercut from Claudio, and a Rocket Launcher form the BCC earns them a very close nearfall on Fenix. When Claudio tries to save Yuta from the double stomp/Fear Factor combo again, The Young Bucks appear from under the ring and take him out with double superkicks, leaving the Lucha Bros. in the clear to pull off the combo and get the pin at 10:27. That was a really fun, explosive ten minutes, as you would expect. Of course, the second the match ends, the results is blown by so they can to tell the AEW story of the BCC vs the Elite for the PPV. This isn’t the first time ROH titles have been used at the expense of furthering an AEW story, and likely won’t be the last. ***½

Here’s the three matches ROH noted were the featured bouts from this week’s nineteen match horror show:

Orlando, FL – 5.25.2023

Commentary is provided by Ian Riccaboni, Caprice Coleman & Nigel McGuinness

ROH World Championship Proving Ground Match
Claudio Castagnoli vs. Serpentico

If Serpentico is victorious, or lasts 10 minutes, he will earn a future ROH World Championship match. Claudio toyed with Serpentico, but changed his tune when Serpentico got three nearfalls in a row – the first from a prawn hold, the second with a cradle after a pair of headscissors, and a third after a high crossbody. Claudio violently dumped Serpentico over the top rope and to the floor where he slams him into the ring steps. Claudio pummels him a little more before pulling Serpentico into a short-arm lariat for the pin at 4:39. He also told Serpentico he made a mistake before doing so, and facetiously shakes Serpentico’s hand as he lay on the mat knocked out.. That was pretty fun, and I appreciate Serpentico getting some offense in before getting destroyed.

ROH Women’s World Championship Proving Ground Match
Athena vs. Promise Braxton

If Braxton is victorious, or lasts 10 minutes, she will earn a future ROH Women’s World title match. Earlier in the show, Athena watched on as Kiera Hogan defeated Vertvixen. After the match, Athena shoved Hogan into a schoolyard trip from Vertvixen, whose involvement was involuntarily. Athena told Hogan to either step up or step out as she backed up the ramp with a smile on her face. This was one of the more evenly contested Proving Ground matches from Athena, but you could tell the crowd was tired and never truly thought that an upset or draw was coming. Athena had an awesome headscissors from the mat which sent Braxton head first into the middle turnbuckle, and followed that up with a slingshot corkscrew splash from the apron. Athena locks on a Cobra Clutch sleeper and Braxton taps out at 5:56. Kiera Hogan saves Braxton from being sent face first into the title belt after the match and instead slams Athena’s face into the title! She mocks Athena’s laugh and dance before leaving, which rules. Hey now, that’s some solid one-night storytelling. It’s maddening that they are capable of doing stuff like this, and more often than not choose not to.

Earlier in the night, Samoa Joe & Zack Sabre Jr. spoke with Dahsa Gonzalez backstage. She asked how they felt about their match against Christopher Daniels and Matt Sydal. Sabre says he flew from Tokyo to make his NJPW World Television title the top Television title in wrestling, eyeing Joe while he says so. Joe says the only reason he agreed to this tag match is to see the capabilities of Sabre, and says he will have Sabre’s back in their match tonight. Sabre says he looks forward to working with him. Later, Dasha interviews Daniels and Sydal and asks how they’re feeling about the match. Daniels says the champions put themselves behind the eight ball in this match, as they’re facing a pair of former tag champions. Sydal says he can feel the TV titles pulling him closer, and after tonight, they will be one step closer to winning them.

Samoa Joe & Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Christopher Daniels & Matt Sydal

If either Daniels or Sydal are victorious, they will earn a title match against whichever champion they pin or submit. Sabre’s technical prowess gets him the advantage over Sydal, until Sydal wipes him out with a spin kick. Daniels tags in, and then Joe tags himself in, much to Sabre’s dismay. Joe looks at Sabre while he toys with Daniels, and Joe’s lack of focus allows Daniels to drop toe hold him, and then do so a second time into a dropkick from Sydal. Joe slaps Sabre on the chest to tag him in. Sydal kicks out Sabre’s leg before taking him down with a falling leg drop. Sydal assists Daniels with a moonsault onto Sabre before landing his own standing moonsault. Sabre trips Daniels onto the middle turnbuckle and Joe punts him in the head, allowing the TV champs to take over. The champions show off for each other as they torture Daniels in their corner. At one point when Sabre and Joe are jaw jacking with each other, Daniels knocks Dabre into Joe, but Joe comes in and stops Daniels from tagging out. You see a trickle of blood in the middle of Joe’s forehead coming down the bridge of his nose due to Sabre being shoved into him. Daniels does eventually tag in Sydal after surprising Joe with an STO. Sydal knocks Sabre to the floor with a jumping knee to the chin when he tries to interfere. Sydal kicks Joe upside the head and delivers Meteora. Sabre twists up Sydal’s neck with his feet to break the pin on Joe. Sydal counters a running uppercut from Sabre with a backslide, converting into another pin attempt for two. Sabre underhook suplexes Sydal. Sydal ducks a PK and takes Sabre down into a crossface. Daniels puts Joe in a Koji Clutch when Joe looks to save his partner. Sabre gets his foot on the ropes, and Joe looks close to passing out when Daniels releases the hold. Daniels and Sydal wipe out Sabre with a powerbomb/super Meteora combo for two. Sabre clobbers Daniels with an uppercut in the corner and tags Joe. Joe backdrops out of an Angel’s Wings attempt and turns Daniels inside out with a clothesline. Sabre twists up Sydal’s neck again with his feet. Daniels drops Sabre with the Angel’s Wings, but then runs right into an STJoe in the corner. Daniels passes out at 15:18. This was a rock solid match, but a little strange that it didn’t lead to either Sydal or Daniels getting a title shot. I do hope we will get a Sabre vs. Sydal title match in the future, regardless of this match result. Maybe it means we’ll see Sabre vs. Joe on a future ROH episode, or at Forbidden Door. Daniels is still great for someone North of 50, but I do feel like Sydal brings out his best when they tag together. ***½

In all sincerity, just watching those three matches left me wholly satisfied and actually interested in future ROH shows. I have serious doubts that I would feel the same way after watching sixteen more matches which average around 5 minutes a piece and whose importance averaged between “minor importance” to “no importance.” Don’t watch this episode, and let’s hope ROH never pulls this kind of stunt again. 

Side note, ROH – just because a show is PPV length does not mean it is PPV quality.