Regina, SK – 7.13.2023

Commentary is provided by Ian Riccaboni & Caprice Coleman.

After all that grief I wrote regarding Mark Briscoe’s title match at Death Before Dishonor last week, he ends up getting hurt and the match is canceled. Claudio’s opponent will be announced after the Blood and Guts match on next weeks Dynamite – less than 48 hours before the PPV. My guess is they’re working to make Claudio vs. Kota Ibushi happen, which would be cool and probably sell a few last minute buys, but the fact that three months of television have had zero bearing on a PPV title match strengthens my decision to end modern ROH reviews next week.

Speaking of last minute build, a ROH World Television Title eliminator tournament begins tonight, with the finals taking place next week. That’s right, Samoa Joe’s challenger will be determined 24 hours before the PPV.

Athena vs. Ava Lawless

This is Athena’s first singles match that isn’t either a Proving Ground match or Women’s title match since AEW Dark back in January. Lawless gets in a couple of offensive moves to start but is then quickly gobbled up and submitted to a crossface at 1:43. Solid squash.

Leyla Hirsch vs. Bambi Hall

Hirsch came back after injury last week, teaming with the Kingdom to defeat The Infantry and Trish Adora. Hall actually had Hirsch up for a backpack stunner, but Hirsch slipped out and gave her a German suplex. She then locked in a cross armbreaker and earned a submission victory at 3:15. Hirsch is seemingly still not at full health, but I think she’ll be a terrific challenger for the Women’s title whenever she is.

ROH World Television Championship Eliminator Tournament Semi-Final Round
Dalton Castle vs. Tony Nese

The Boys are in Castle’s corner and Mark Sterling and Ari Daivari are in Nese’s corner. Nese grabs the top rope to escape a Bang-A-Rang. Castle catches Nese coming off the second rope with a release belly-to-belly suplex. A distraction from both Sterling and Daivari allows for Nese to snap Castle’s neck onto the top rope and take him down with a flying clothesline. On the floor, Nese sends Castle’s back into the ring post, and Castle cracks his left arm into the ring post attempting a clothesline of his own. Castle’s back fails him when he attempts offense back in the ring, and Nese further wears down his left arm. Castle fights through the back pain to pull off a triumvirate of suplex throws and a deadlift German suplex. The Boys attack Sterling when he tries to interject, and Castle catches Daivari coming in. Nese’s schoolboy attempt fails, and Castle pins him with Bang-A-Rang at 8:11. This story was well executed, and Castle defying the odds was satisfying. I am very much hoping (and expecting) to see him be the one to face Joe next week. ***

ROH World Television Championship Eliminator Tournament Semi-Final Round
Shawn Dean vs. Shane Taylor

This wasn’t amongst the featured bouts for the week, but it would have been strange to exclude it given the other Eliminator match was included. This is another problem ROH has – inconsistency in how wrestlers are featured. Some weeks Shane Taylor is a singles wrestler, other weeks he’s in a trio with Anthony Henry and JD Drake, and none of it seems important. Up to this point, Dean has exclusively been featured as a tag team wrestler with Carlie Bravo in ROH, so why is he suddenly featured as a singles competitor two steps away from a TV title match? Strange. Taylor nearly knocks out Dean early with a haymaker, and keeps up with the strikes as Dean literally hands onto the ropes to keep his footing. He also wears down his midsection. Dean claps his forearms into Taylor’s ears to escape a bearhug. Taylor is disoriented enough for Dean to be able to strike him in the head with several kicks, and deliver a jumping knee strike to the chin. Dean also avoids a splash, but when he tries his own, Taylor gets his knees up. A headbutt and forearm smash get Taylor the pin at 6:47. I really appreciate that they went a route you don’t see often, with a wrestler looking to secure a win via knockout, or at least headhunting their opponent into a pinfall. Both of them did a convincing job in their respective roles, and if they wanted to make this a fresh start for Taylor they could. That would possibly help the consistency issue. **¾

Next week, Castle and Taylor will wrestle to see who faces Samoa Joe at Death Before Dishonor. It feels like it’s been forever since we knew any matches for the following week’s episode ahead of time, not at least since the last Orlando tapings.

The Boys (Brandon & Brent) vs. The Kingdom (Matt Taven & Mike Bennett)

No Maria in the Kingdom’s corner. The Preview frames this as the Kingdom getting back on track in hopes of facing the Lucha Bros at Death Before Dishonor for the tag titles. The fans like the Boys, but they’re more like annoying flies for the Kingdom to swat away than a serious threat. There was a fun moment when they had Brent pinned after a Death Valley Driver and Just The Tip, and when referee Mike Posey told them Brandon was legal, Taven insisted it didn’t matter since the Boys are twins. The Kingdom then bust out a two person version of the Rockstar Supernova on Brandon to pin him at 8:50. If they are going with the Kingdom vs. Lucha Bros. next week, this was a solid win to get the Kingdom ready to challenge, adding a new-old finisher to their arsenal in the process. **½

ROH World Six Man Tag Team Championship
The Mogul Embassy (Brian Cage, Bishop Kaun & Toa Liona) vs. Christopher Daniels, Matt Sydal & Darius Martin

The Mogul Embassy have been champions since 12.10.2022 and this is their fifth defense. Prince Nana is in the Mogul Embassy’s corner. Daniels drops Kaun with a Complete Shot in his own corner, hoping to isolate him. Sydal assists, but he quickly escapes with a chop to Kaun’s throat. A blind tag from Daniels enables them to maintain control on Liona with a drop toe hold into step-up elbow drop from Martin. Liona shuts down Daniels with a Samoan Drop, and Kaun knocks Sydal and Martin to the floor so the Mogul Embassy can maul Daniels unimpeded. Daniels interrupts their progress with a small package, long enough to secure a pin, but a distraction from the referee allows Liona to escape and shoulder tackle Daniels at his own pace. Daniels drop toe holds Kaun into the middle turnbuckle and follows up with a German suplex before tagging in Martin. Martin drops Liona and Kaun with a DDT/reverse DDT combo. Cage deadlift waistlocks Martin off of Kaun after Martin pins him with a high crossbody. Cage takes him out with a superkick, but Martin escapes Cage’s GMSI and penalty kicks him.. Sydal comes in with Meteora and wipes out Cage with a kick to the head. Kaun takes him out with a back elbow. Liona and Kaun knock Daniels and Martin off of the apron, but Sydal is able to kick out of Cage’s F5 on his own. Sydal counters the Drill Claw with a huracanrana for two. Sydal lands a Meteora to a seated Cage, with Kaun jumping in just before a pin is made. Liona and Kaun are sent to the outside, with Daniels and Martin wiping them out. In the ring, Cage turns Sydal inside out with a discus lariat after Sydal attempts a small package pin. The Drill Claw then gets Cagr the pin at 12:04. That was a pretty fun match, especially when Cage and Sydal were in the ring. The crowd actually got into the nearfalls and seemed genuinely disheartened that the babyfaces didn’t pull out the win. Even though this was a mediocre episode, it at least ended with something engaging. ***¼

You don’t need to watch any of this.