Trenton, NJ – 7.21.2023

Commentary is provided by Ian Riccaboni & Caprice Coleman.

Zero Hour

Pure Rules Match
Tracy Williams vs. Josh Woods

Tony Nese, Ari Daivari and “Smart” Mark Sterling are in Woods’ corner. The Pure Rules are as follows:
*The competitors are to obey the “Code of Honor”, shaking one another’s hand before and after the match.
*Each wrestler has 3 rope breaks to stop submission holds and pinfalls. After a wrestler has used all 3 of their rope breaks, submission and pin attempts on or under the ropes by the opponent are considered legal.
*Closed-fist punches to the face are not permitted. Punches to other parts of the body are permitted, excluding low blows. The first use of a closed fist results in a warning, a second will be a disqualification.
*This match has a 15 minute time limit. If the match goes past the time limit, three judges will determine the outcome. The judges for this match are ROH alumni and former champions Christopher Daniels, Jimmy Jacobs, and Jerry Lynn, who is also on the ROH Board of Directors.
*Any wrestler who interferes will be terminated.

Woods uses a waistlock to takedown Williams. He looks for a double wristlock, and Williams uses his first rope break to escape. Williams also holds onto the top rope to stop an Irish whip, and is unhappy to learn that referee Mike Posey counted that as his second rope break. Williams comes back with an inside Saito suplex and a half-hatch suplex into the corner. A few moments later he uses a cravate brainbuster to get a two count. Williams blocks two boots with his arm and knocks down Woods with a rolling clothesline. He then plants Woods with a piledriver, and Woods gets his foot on the bottom rope to break the pin. Woods fights out of another brainbuster and drives his knees into Williams’ mid-section, ending with a pump knee to the face and a gutwrench powerbomb. He puts Williams in the Gorilla Lock until Williams’ uses his final rope break to escape. They end up on the apron where Williams looks for a half-hatch DDT, but Woods counters with a German suplex. Williams slowly makes his way back to the apron. From inside the ring, Woods pulls Williams into a rope-assisted guillotine choke, legal since Williams’ rope breaks are exhausted, and it gets Woods the submission victory at 8:40. Woods and Williams are very proficient in the style of wrestling the Pure division represents, as well as incorporating its rules into the story of the match. They were two of my favorites in the post-pandemic Sinclair era of ROH, and I was thrilled to see them get the spotlight in a Pure Rules match. I feel like Woods needs to separate himself from The Varsity Athletes if they want to make him a tentpole to build the Pure division around once again. I think that would be a good choice. ***

Darius Martin & Action Andretti vs. The WorkHorsemen (Anthony Henry & JD Drake)

Andretti and Martin thwart The WorkHorsemen’s early sneak attack, but Henry double stomps Martin as Martin tries to slide in from the apron and then slingshots him face first into the bottom turnbuckle. Henry then sends a charging Andretti to the floor where Drake meets him with a forearm smash to the face. The WorkHoresemen pummel Martin while Andretti recovers. Drake grabs Martin’s hair when he seems to be close to breaking away, and Henry gets him in an ankle lock. Martin escapes that, and then rolls away from Drake to tag in Andretti. Andretti takes both Work Horsemen down with a double bulldog and lands a running shooting star press onto them both for two. Martin pops Andretti up into a Flying DDT on Drake. Drake catches Martin with a complete shot, and Henry follows up with a top rope double stomp. Drake moonsaults onto Martin, and Andretti drops Henry out of a Death Valley Driver onto Drake to break up the pin. Andretti Jon Woo dropkicks Drake to Martin for a German suplex. Martin assists Andretti with a torture rack neckbreaker for the pin at 7:22. This was reminiscent of the Top Flight vs Kingdom match from Final Battle 2022, in terms of the complimentary styles the teams had, the great action provided, and the crowd really getting behind Martin and Andretti. These past two matches were great but infuriating, because it goes to show terrific the tag and Pure divisions could be with focus. ***¼

Trish Adora vs. Leyla Hirsch

The Infantry of Shawn Dean and Carlie Bravo come out with Adora but go backstage before the bout. Adora drives Hirsch’s left arm into the canvas after blocking an armdrag. Hirsch rolls to the floor before Adora can apply the Cerebro Lock. When Adora backs Hirsch to the corner, Hirsch places her foot on Adora’s foot so she cannot step away. She kicks Adora in the thigh and steps on her hand before driving her shoulder into the mat. Despite the damage Hirsch does to Adora’s arm, Adora is able to muscle out of a triangle choke with a powerbomb. Adora also pulls her into her kneeling German suplex for two. Adora also gets two with a pump kick. Hirsch comes back with a seated corner dropkick, but when she tries to take Adora out of the corner, she gives Hirsch a uranage backbreaker. As they roll about in a cradle, Hirsch locks in a cross armbreaker and gets the submission victory at 9:13. A bit of an abrupt ending, but the match was good before then – much better than Hirsch’s other matches since coming back from surgery. I liked that Adora adapted to Hirsch as the match progressed and it took Hirsch surprising her with a submission to be victorious. It’s interesting that Adora is 0-3 since partnering with The Infantry. Maybe there’s something to that. **¾

Hirsch reapplies the submission to Adora until Skye Blue makes the save. I’m down with that as a rivalry, but where were The Infantry?

AR Fox vs. Shane Taylor

Fox does a good job outmaneuvering Taylor until Taylor pulls him off of the middle turnbuckle and into a Complete Shot. Fox kicks Taylor in the legs from the mat, but Taylor Beele tosses him across the ring. Fox fights off Taylor and lands the Lo Mein Rain. In the ring, Fox mule kicks Taylor before landing an Ace Crusher. Taylor headbutts Fox in the sternum and pulls him up into a uranage. Taylor then delivers a running frog splash for two. Fox uses the ropes to spike Taylor with a DDT. Fox lands a basement Ace Crusher, but Taylor catches a springback Ace Crusher and pulls Fox up into Welcome To The Land. Fox grabs the bottom rope just in time to break the pin. Taylor pulls up Fox to the middle rope, looking for a super Marcus Garvey Driver. Fox slips out of his grasp, delivers a jump-up enzuigiri, and brings Taylor down into a rolling Death Valley Driver. A 450 Splash then gets Fox the pin at 10:21. This was another terrific size vs speed encounter, and the crowd being very into the match elevated everything they did. Them teasing Fox’s upcoming AEW International Title match with Orange Cassidy during the bout telegraphed the victor, but they did a good job making it seem like either man could take the match in spite of that. A fun, exciting match to end the Zero Hour. ***½

This Zero Hour feel like a perfect template for the ROH TV show. The Pure and Women’s divisions were key strengths for ROH before they shut down, and they have the teams to make for one heck of a tag team division. If you spotlight those divisions (as well as the luchadores), pepper in some stories and videos, have your titles defended on a regular basis, and have a run time of 60-75 minutes, you could have a really entertaining and unique wrestling show on a week to week basis.

Main Show

Komander vs. Gravity

Alex Abrahantes is in Komander’s corner. Komander finds nothing amusing about Gravity’s slow motion walking, responding to it with a yakuza kick to the floor and a tope con hilo to follow. Gravity forearm smashes Komander back to the floor after an up-and-over. He then sits himself up to the top turnbuckle and drops the dime onto Komander on the floor. When he attempts a corner splash, Komander gets his boots up, knocking down Gravity with a double boot to the sternum. Gravity then gets his boots up to block a moonsault and gets two with a sit-out powerbomb. He also gets two with a one-armed deadlift sit-out powerbomb. Gravity rolls to the floor after being knocked down with a roundhouse kick, so Komander follows with a rope-walk floating moonsault. Gravity takes down Komander with a falling wristlock takeover off of the top turnbuckle. Komander drops Gravity sternum first onto the top turnbuckle, then tightrope walks across the ring into a top rope moonsault for two. Komander is not happy with this, so he lands a super Frankensteiner. When he goes for the pin, however, Gravity pulls him into a small package and gets the pin at 10:05. All match long the two of them tried to outshine one another while wearing each other down, and ultimately it was Komander’s stubbornness that cost him the bout. We’ve seen a lot of fun Lucha matches on ROH shows of late, but that wrinkle made this stand out. Using these matches to open the show and get the crowd fired up and engaged is a good move. ***¼

It is also announced that Gravity will wrestle PAC on this week’s Dynamite. Finally, the Man Gravity Forgot gets to face Gravity himself. Clever girl.

ROH World Television Championship
Samoa Joe vs. Dalton Castle

Joe has been champion since 4.13.2022 and this is his thirteenth defense. Castle won an Eliminator tournament to earn this title opportunity, defeating Tony Nese and Shane Taylor. The Boys are in his corner, and ROH Board of Directors member Stokely Hathaway is on commentary for the bout. Hathaway fearfully praises Joe and treads lightly with his comments regarding Castle. Castle wears down Joe’s back and ribs. Joe chops down Castle and lands a back senton. He maintains control for quite a while over the challenger, also utilizing a strategy of wearing down Castle’s back. Joe is not happy that the Boys keep placing Castle back into the ring when Joe keeps trying to keep him on the floor. Joe demands that Stokely do something about it when he rolls to the floor after taking a German suplex from Castle. Stokely leaves commentary and demands referee Stephon Smith send the Boys to the back, and he does. While Stokely is talking with Smith, Joe kicks Castle in the groin and pulls him into the Coquina Clutch. Smith calls for the bell at 14:12. As a match this was a mess, but it achieved its goal of showing that Joe is capable of manipulating Stokely through fear to his advantage. This would’ve been better suited for the TV show, but if this actually develops into a story, I’ll be content. If it’s a one off, it stinks. **½

ROH World Tag Team Championship
The Lucha Brothers (Penta El Zero Miedo & Rey Fenix) vs. Best Friends (Chuck Taylor & Trent Beretta) vs. Aussie Open (Kyle Fletcher & Mark Davis) vs. The Kingdom (Mike Bennett & Matt Taven)

The Lucha Brothers have been champions since 3.31.2023 and this is their third defense. Alex Abrahantes is in their corner, and Maria Kanellis-Bennett is in The Kingdom’s corner. The match starts with the Best Friends facing off with the Kingdom and Aussie Open facing off with The Lucha Bros. Aussie Open breaks this barrier by driving the Best Friends spine first into one another on the floor. Taven and then the Lucha Bros each land dives onto both teams, and Beretta halts Bennett’s dive attempt with a superplex onto the other six competitors on the floor. Beretta is beaten down by the Kingdom in the ring, but ends up taking down Bennett with a tornado DDT and tagging in Penta, who wipes out the Kingdom with a tandem high crossbody. He gets a two count on Taven with a pumphandle driver. Fletcher blind tags himself in, and they lay out Penta with a Dental Plan. Fenix is then taken out with the Aussie Arrow, and they wipe out the Best Friends on the apron. They daze Penta before giving him the one-man Ragnarok. Taven jumps in to stop the pin from occurring just in time. The Kingdom then drops Fletcher with the Rockstar Supernova, and this time it is Taylor that breaks up the pin. Taylor also prevents Taven from landing a dive and assists Beretta with a superplex. A series of piledrivers ends with the Lucha Bros giving Davis a double stomp piledriver, and Bennett pulling Penta off of Davis to prevent the pin. Hail mary on Penta only gets Kingdom a one count, so they set him up for the Proton Pack. Penta escapes but is tagged out by Beretta. The Best Friends then land Strong Zero on Penta, but the referee is pulled outside by Fenix. Penta hits Beretta with a chair, which angers Taylor who throws Fenix into the crowd. Taven tries to steal a pin on Beretta but Davis doesn’t let it happen. Aussie Open clobbers Beretta with double forearms before spiking him with Coriolis for the pin at 17:01! Interestingly, it felt like the champions and the winners had the least amount of time to shine, but they did maximize the minutes they had. Every team looked credible and capable of winning, and I’m also happy they wasted no time strapping up Aussie Open. They also established a new rivalry between the Best Friends and Lucha Bros which could yield some great matches. The piledriver sequence was what stood out the most to me is what I will remember from this match. Good stuff from all involved. ***½

ROH World Six Man Tag Team Championship
The Mogul Embassy (Brian Cage, Bishop Kaun & Toa Liona) vs. Six or Nine (Ryusuke Taguchi & Master Wato) & Leon Ruffin

The Mogul Embassy have been champions since 12.10.2022 and this is their fifth defense. Prince Nana is in their corner. This is Wato’s ROH debut, and Taguchi’s first match in ROH since the Honor Rumble at G1 Supercard. Together, they won the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Titles last year, and Wato won this year’s Best of the Super Juniors tournament. Their swiftness and cunning gives them an advantage over the much larger Mogul Embassy in the early going, but Cage impressively German suplexes both Wato and Taguchi at the same time to halt their momentum. Ruffin scores an impressive super dropkick on Cage, but Kaun and Liona take him down and with Cage maul him in their corner. Ruffin spikes Kaun with a DDT to escape a backbreaker on the top turnbuckle, escaping his grasp with a tag to Wato. He had Kaun trapped in Vendaval which Cage helped him escape from. Cage also resisted Recientemente and Liona snuck in to belly-to-belly suplex Wato. Taguchi flies in with a hip attack from the top turnbuckle to Liona, following up with a hip attack barrage onto all of the Mogul Embassy members. He gets Kaun in an ankle lock which Liona breaks with a lariat. Mato nails Liona with a flying uppercut, and Cage tiger feint kicks Wato. Taguchi comes back with a tiger feint kick of his own, and Ruffin capitalizes on that with a top rope splash. A distraction from Pince Nana allows Kaun to low blow Taguchi, but Taguchi low blows him back and small packages him for two. Ruffin bounces his way to an Ace Crusher on Cage. Liona swings out Ruffin into a backbreaker for two. A three person toss and crash leads to Tiona sitting on Ruffin, pinning him at 12:20. As much as the challengers in this match made no sense, it was very neat to see Six or Nine in an ROH ring, and they worked shockingly well with the Mogul Embassy. Same goes for Ruffin, whose significant size and speed disparity against the champions stood out in a good way. The Embassy has become a well oiled machine at this point, I just need for them to have something more to sink their teeth into. As for the ending, big dudes throwing around little dudes is always fun. I don’t make the rules. ***¼

ROH Pure Championship
Katsuyori Shibata vs. Daniel Garcia

Shibata has been champion since 3.31.2023 this is his fourth defense. Garcia confronted Shibata after he successfully defended the title against Lee Moriarty. Garcia then defeated Shibata’s protege The DKC as well as Rocky Romero in Pure Rules matches. Garcia would pin Shibata in a tag team match on the June 21st Dynamite, and they would compete in a four way at Forbidden Door. This match was then made official at a press conference. The Pure Rules are as follows:
*The competitors are to obey the “Code of Honor”, shaking one another’s hand before and after the match.
*Each wrestler has 3 rope breaks to stop submission holds and pinfalls. After a wrestler has used all 3 of their rope breaks, submission and pin attempts on or under the ropes by the opponent are considered legal.
*Closed-fist punches to the face are not permitted. Punches to other parts of the body are permitted, excluding low blows. The first use of a closed fist results in a warning, a second will be a disqualification.
*This match has a 15 minute time limit. If the match goes past the time limit, three judges will determine the outcome. The judges for this match are ROH alumni and former champions Christopher Daniels, Jimmy Jacobs, and Jerry Lynn, who is also on the ROH Board of Directors.
*Any wrestler who interferes will be terminated.

Shibata halts Garcia’s lil dance and puts him in a grapevine leg lock. Garcia uses his first rope break to escape. Garcia baits Shibata to the floor so he can whip him into the barricades. Shibata retaliates by throwing Garcia into the barricades three times and booting him over the guardrail into the crowd. Garcia throws Shibata’s hand into the barricades when he goes to bring him back over the rails, and then slams it into the ring apron multiple times. As Shibarta is recovering from Garcia’s arm attacks, he does his lil dance, and continues doing it to Shibata when he stands back up in defiance. He also sits down with Shibata while still dancing. Shibata pummels on his neck and yakuza kicks him in the corner, pounding him down to a seated position and facewash kicking him before landing a hesitation dropkick. Garcia tries an STF and ends up put in a bow and arrow stretch. Garcia escapes and pulls off the Three Amigos suplex, even with Shibata suplexing him twice in the process. After a flurry of offense from both men, they crumple when going for simultaneous clotheslines. Garcia locks in a sharpshooter, which Shibata counters using a headlock. Garcia suplexes his way free and also t-bone suplexes Shibata. Shibata overhand chops Garcia and puts him in a sleeper hold. Garcia tries to dance his way free, but fades to a seated position, where Shibata nails him with a PK for the pin at 14:36. Lesson learned – in the Pure Division, wrestlers beat sports entertainers. With the JAS seemingly about to erode, maybe this match sets Garcia back on the path to finding the wrestler within. I am absolutely amused by his dance, but I do miss the vicious Garcia of old. They didn’t incorporate the Pure Rules much, but they had a very enjoyable straight wrestling match with some of Garcia’s personality whipped in, and I am good with that. Shibata’s streak of using no rope breaks also remains intact. ***½

Fight Without Honor
The Dark Order (Evil Uno, Alex Reynolds & John Silver) vs. Stu Grayson & The Righteous (Vincent & Dutch)

This is the first ever six man Fight Without Honor. The Righteous pulled Grayson away from the Dark Order, insinuating the Dark Order moved on without him and that they aren’t the same ferocious faction they once were. Despite the animosity, Uno had not been able to bring himself to strike Grayson as of yet. That changes at the start of the match, when Uno finally comes to blows with Grayson mid-ring as their partners fight around ringside, and Uno headbutts Grayson down to a seated position. Grayson however spears Uno through a table that was set up ringside! Silver busts open Dutch with a barbed wire 2×4, and Vincent busts Reynolds open with the same weapon. Silver pours thumbtacks onto the mat, but he ends up being the victim of those very tacks thanks to a Boss Man Slam from Dutch. Uno batters Grayson with a chair, and Vincent pushes him out of the way to take one of the swings. Vincent reverses a ship to send Uno face first into the chair and then rips open his mask. Reynolds uses a chair to save Reynolds through a triple powerbomb onto two tables ringside. Uno pours LEGO bricks on top of the thumbtacks, bringing some Interspecies Wrestling flavor to the match. Like Reynolds was hoisted by his own petard, Dutch powerbombs Uno onto the bricks. Grayson frog splashes Silver through a table ringside after Red Rum from Vincent does not break through it. Uno is powerbombed onto the bricks and tacks by Dutch again, and Uno kicks out from his pin attempt on his own. Reynold DDT’s Grayson on the stage to stop his offense, and also shoves Dutch off of the stag and through a barbed wire covered table! In the ring, Silver puts on a thumbtack covered kick pad and kicks it repeatedly into Vincent’s chest and head, ending with a running chest kick. Grayson places Uno onto two tables ringside after cracking him with a pump knee. He ascends an extra tall ladder inside of the ring, but he takes too much time climbing up it, allowing Uno to enter the ring and push Grayson off of the ladder and through the two tables! Grayson is then given the Ragnarok onto the LEGO bricks and thumb tacks, and Uno pins him at 15:42. All I ask for in matches like these is some creativity and for the violence to escalate accordingly, and this checked off both boxes. Everyone played their role well, especially the Righteous, with Dutch as the enforcer who was stopped by Reynolds, Vincent as the antagonist who was put down by Silver, and Grayson the strained partner who was put away by Uno, who wouldn’t even touch him before this match started. If Grayson had any doubts about the ferocity of the Dark Order, this match should put that to rest. To no surprise, the best built match on the show was also one of the best matches on the show. ****

ROH World Championship Match
Claudio Castagnoli vs. PAC

Castagnoli has been champion since 12.10.2022 and this is his ninth defense. PAC abandoned the Blackpool Combat Club during the Blood & Guts match due to Claudio barking orders at him, and the BCC ultimately lost the match. Claudio angrily demanded a match against PAC to get revenge, and PAC quickly accepted, giving us this title match. This is their fourth singles match, and their first in over a decade – Claudio won the first in CHIKARA in 2007, PAC won the second two weeks later at PWG, and in WWE, Antonio Cesaro defended his U.S. Title against Neville on an episode of NXT in 2013. This is PAC’s first ROH match since August of 2007.

Claudio immediately uppercuts PAC at the bell and takes him down with Swiss Death for two. PAC rolls to the floor to avoid the Neutralizer. Claudio drops PAC throat first on the barricades. PAC escapes the Giant Swing when they’re back in the ring and he walks up to the stage, but Claudio follows him and gives him a Giant Swing up on the stage. When he tries the Neutralizer, PAC backdrops him onto the stage. PAC sets up Chekov’s table ringside, but before he can put it to use, Claudio sends him into the barricades. In the ring, PAC gives Claudio a super brainbuster for two. Claudio stops PAC’s offensive stride by press slamming him over the top rope and through the table he set up earlier! Even though Claudio crushes him with a top rope elbow drop and hammer and nail elbows, PAC once again escapes the Neutralizer and cracks Claudio with an enzuigiri. Claudio Gallon Throws PAC to get him in position for the Neutralizer, which he finally pulls off, but only for a two count. Claudio ducks a running uppercut and German suplexes PAC, and Claudio nails him with a lariat before collapsing. PAC superkicks Claudio twice when they get to their feet and deadlift German suplexes him for a two count. PAC goes for a super Frankensteiner, which Claudio blocks and tries to turn into a super Ricola Bomb. PAC counters that with a super Frankensteiner and goes for the Black Arrow. He misses and Claudio turns him inside out with a lariat. PAC counters the Ricola Bomb into a standing Brutalizer. Claudio breaks it momentarily, only for PAC to lock it back on the mat.Claudio climbs the ropes with PAC on his back and delivers a super Air Raid Crash to escape. Wheeler Yuta distracts PAC, who has pulled himself back up to his feet using the ropes. Claudio attacks PAC from behind and drops him with a running sit-out Ricola Bomb for the pin at 18:36. I did not like that ending at all – distractions in World Title matches are lame and the jump from the Air Raid Crash to Yuta’s interference felt incredibly jarring. Otherwise, this was great, a more refined and aggressive version of their previous bouts. Their dynamic is terrific, and it’s a shame that it left me with a bad taste. ****

The Lucha Bros. come out and attack Claudio and Yuta, as they’re partners with PAC in AEW. Best Friends then run out to attack The Lucha Bros. based on the tag title match earlier tonight, and Orange Cassidy also joins the fray. A three way tag match between The BCC, Lucha Bros., and Best Friends is announced for Dynamite.

ROH Women’s World Championship
Athena vs. Willow Nightingale

Athena has been the champion since 12.10.2022 and this is her twelfth defense. This is a threematch, with Athena defending her title against Willow on Episode 2 of ROH, and Willow defeating Athena seven days earlier in the semi-finals of the Women’s Owen Hart Foundation tournament. Willow has control early, but that shifts when Athena shoves her sternum first into the turnbuckle and gives her a back suplex on the ring apron. Willow uses a jawbreaker to escape a submission, but further hurts her back by missing a senton splash. Willow surprises Athena with a Pounce. A hip attack and corner clothesline leads to a spinebuster for two. Athena thrashes Willow with a forearm strike in the corner and a leaping savate kick to the back of the head. The Wrath of the Goddess then earns her a close nearfall. Willow low bridges the middle rope to avoid an attack. Willow escapes a second backbreaker on the ring apron, knocking Athena to the floor, and then lands a crossbody to the floor! Willow then crushes Athena into the ring steps with a cannonball senton. Back in the ring, Athena surprises Willow with an enzuigiri, celebrating her achievement with a standing moonsault. Willow, however, muscles up Athena from the lateral press and into Smash Mouth, Sumie Sakai’s finisher, for two. The fans chant “Let’s Go Willow” as she rolls through Athena’s headscissors and kicks her in the chest. Willow then uses Sara Del Rey’s calling card, the Royal Butterfly, for a two count. Athena resists the Babe With The Powerbomb and uses Daizee Haze’s Mind Trip for two. Willow spins out Athena into a reverse DDT for two, apparently a callback to Alexis Laree. Athena drives Willow face first into the mat with MsChif’s Obliteration, a super reverse tombstone piledriver. Athena then muscles her up into a sit-out powerbomb for two. She perches herself for the O-Face and Willow catches her on the top turnbuckle. She brings down Athena with a super Death Valley Driver for two. Athena rolls to the outside and Willow follows. Athena slams Willow off of her shoulders and sends her into the steps before rolling her back into the ring for the O-Face. Athena lays on Willow with her arms raised as a pin. Willow gets her shoulder up at two and the crowd explodes. Athena argues with the referee, but that leaves Willow room to sneak up and deliver the Babe With The Powerbomb. Athena kicks out, and the fans ask for one more time, but Willow decides to seat Athena on the top turnbuckle. She attempts a super Babe With The Powerbomb, but Athena forearm smashes her down to the mat. She waits for Willow to get to her feet before hitting the O-Face once again. She then locks in the crossface. Willow fights and struggles to make her way to the ropes, but she ends up passing out at 20:31. I have mixed feelings on the usage of past Women of Honors finishes. On one hand, I appreciate the tribute, as it incorporates some of the pioneers of the division into the very first women’s ROH PPV main event. On the other hand, it didn’t make sense in the context of the match, and I don’t think most of the fans got what they were going for. That’s my only real criticism of the match, because otherwise this was awesome. The crowd was so hot for everything they did and were damn near begging for Willow to come out on top. Their reaction really intensified the nearfalls and momentum swings in the last few minutes of the match, and gave the match an extra bit of specialness. Athena’s been the best thing in ROH this year, and I am glad she and Willow were rewarded with the main event, because not only did they deserve to be in the event, but they knocked it out of the park. ****¼

It didn’t matter if you watched the weekly show or not, this show was excellent. You can argue whether that’s good or bad, but with a sample size of 21 weekly episodes and 2 PPVs, I think the verdict is in – you’re better off skipping the weekly show and just watching the PPVs.This show was excellent. I don’t know if I am certain that it’s $40 good, but if you are a subscriber to Honor Club I’d watch it once it goes on demand for sure.

And with that, my time covering the weekly ROH TV show is done. I’ll see you at Final Battle 2023.