ROH World Tag Team Championship
Adam Cole & MJF vs. The Dark Order (John Silver & Alex Reynolds)
AEW All Out 2023 – Chicago, IL – 9.3.2023

Cole & MJF have been champions since 8.27.2023 and this is their first defense. Evil Uno is in the Dark Order’s corner. Silver and Reynolds earned this title match by winning a tag team battle royal two days prior on Rampage. Cole had done damage to MJF’s neck during their title match at All In the week before, and it was reaggravated during a shoulder tackle. Before this match, it had been fun and games for the champions. Silver attacked Cole from behind as he was checking on his partner, and then Reynolds attacked MJF in the neck with a chair behind referee Paul Turner’s back. MJF was taken backstage by officials and medical personnel, leaving Cole to fight off the Dark Order on his own. Cole did an admirable job fighting off the Dark Order alone, but with Uno not only getting physically involved, but taunting him when Cole looked to his corner to see nobody there, it was clear Cole had a giant uphill battle, especially with Dark Order having a sixty minute time limit to seemingly take their time to wear him down. They even mocked Cole by utilizing the double clothesline. Cole prevented Reynolds from using the tag title as a weapon and neutralized Silver with a superkick, and MJF stomped down to ringside despite the officials trying to hold him back. MJF tagged in and fought off the Dark Order, nursing his neck when he wasn’t on offense. After MJF took out Dark Order with a Kangaroo Kick, Uno tried to get involved, and was superkicked off of the ring apron by Cole. The champions then nailed Reynolds with the double clothesline for the pin at 14:08. I like how the Cole and MJF story played into this match. MJF was damaged goods because of his partner, and that put Cole in a position where he had to persist on his own for an inordinate amount of time. The Dark Order were also made to look like a convincing threat to the titles because of the way the match was laid out, and it was effective in getting the crowd into the match. Even if I don’t like the kangaroo kick/double clothesline stuff, the fans do, and the Dark Order in the grand scheme of things are further down the totem pole than Aussie Open at this point, so it’s less frustrating to see them defeated in that manner. ***

ROH World Television Championship
Samoa Joe vs. Shane Taylor
AEW All Out 2023 – Chicago, IL – 9.3.2023

Joe has been champion since 4.13.2022 and this is his fourteenth defense. Taylor won a tournament to earn this match, making it the second TV Title match in a row where this was how the challenger was decided. Joe actually made his entrance while MJF and Cole were heading to the back and he shoved MJF aside en route to the ring. MJF and Joe got into a scuffle before the bell, which is all well and good in terms of building to a match between the two of them down the line, but it sure did make Taylor’s challenge seem like a distant second in terms of focus and importance for Joe. But to their credit, they made that part of the match, as Taylor dominated Joe for the first few minutes, presumably due to Joe’s split focus. Joe got back on track with an enzuigiri that sent Taylor to the floor and an elbow suicida. Kevin Kelly straight up lies and tells us this has a big fight feel, when understandably, this match is the one the crowd cared least about. Taylor scores big with a rope-assisted stunner to escape a Coquina Clutch attempt, and then follows up with a middle rope frog splash for a two count. Joe and Taylor get into a slugfest until Joe nails Taylor with multiple knee strikes and pulls him into the Coquina Clutch to get the submission victory at 6:23. They had an uphill battle in terms of thinking Taylor had any chance of winning this match, but they did their damndest. Taylor’s size helped his credibility, and the match played out as well as it could under the circumstances. Taylor would go on to align with Lee Moriarty in ROH after this match. ***

Speaking of All Out, the following ROH episode starts with Athena blaming her minion, Billie Starkz, for losing a six woman tag match on the Zero Hour. Allysin Kay approaches, taking umbrage with Athena bad mouthing Billie. Thr trash talk between Athena and Kay leads to a title match being made between the two of them.

ROH Women’s World Championship
Athena vs. Allysin Kay
ROH on HonorClub #28 – Chicago, IL – 9.7.2023

Athena has been the champion since 12.10.2022 and this is her fourteenth defense. Athena’s minion Billie Starkz is in her corner. Kay takes control with a backbreaker, but Athena hides behind Starkz and sneaks behind Kay so she can shove her shoulder first into the barricades. Starks lets Kay get back into the ring of her own accord. Kay sneaks in a couple of roll-ups to halt Athena’s offense, but for the most part, the champion dominates on offense. Kay halts her again with a Snake Eyes into the corner and gets two with a Rydeen Bomb. Athena uses Kay’s own tactic, pulling her face first into the middle rope, but Kay faceplants Athena into the mat before grabbing an ankle lock. Athena uses the ropes to twist up to her feet and clobber Kay with a forearm smash to the jaw. Kay is able to halt Athena on the top turnbuckle, but Athena drops Kay off of the top to avoid a superplex and hits the O-Face for the pin at 9:20. Kay was really good in the final year of Sinclair ROH, and I’m glad to see her pop up now and again in this iteration. Obviously these two have a great match together, but with nothing behind the match and a catatonic crowd, its ceiling wasn’t as high as it could’ve been. It was still good for what it was. Starkz refuses to join Athena in smashing Kay’s face into the women’s title after the bell. **¾

ROH World Championship Match
Claudio Castagnoli vs. Rocky Romero
ROH on HonorClub #29 – Cleveland, OH – 9.14.2023

Castagnoli has been champion since 12.10.2022 and this is his tenth defense. The only other singles match these two have had in ROH was at Fighting Spirit in April of 2007, and Romero was victorious! Romero’s speed gives him the advantage in the opening moments, as does attacking Clauidio’s hamstring. An uppercut from Claudio to counter a suicide dive shuts down the challenger. Claudio cranks on Romero’s neck and left shoulder as he keeps him grounded back in the ring. Romero counters Swiss Death with a headscissors that sents Claudio back to the floor, and Romero finally lands the suicide dive he was looking for earlier. A boule stomp to the back, tornado DDT, and tiger feint kick lead to Romero scoring a nearfall with a running Shiranui. Claudio uppercuts Romero to halt him on the top rope. Romero fights Claudio away and tries a crossbody, only for Claudio to catch him and counter into a backbreaker. Claudio smothers Romero with repeated clotheslines and uppercuts in the corner until Romero is seated and his lights are out. Claudio pulls him by the wrist up into a short-arm lariat, but Romero gets his shoulder up just before the three count. Claudio throws some hammer and nail elbows. Romero gets in a couple of desperate pin attempts and enzuigiri’s Claudio before attempting another Shiraui. Claudio uses his strength to hold him in place and push him up into Swiss Death. He smashes Romero with another European Uppercut before pinning him at 10:42. Claudio’s match with Eddie Kingston at Grand Slam for the ROH and NJPW titles was announced before this aired, so I snickered at the idea that anyone would think Romero had a chance of spoiling that match. But I will be damned if those surprise pins at the end didn’t suck in the crowd. Romero looked tough as hell coming back from Claudio’s onslaught of strikes, making it impossible to not cheer for the guy. For a lame duck match, this was pretty dang great. ***½

At “All Out”, Claudio Castagnoli and Wheeler Yuta defeated Eddie Kingston and Katsuyori Shibata in a tag team match. In fact, Claudio pinned Kingston. Lexy Nair asked Claudio backstage if the issue between him and Kingston was over and he said “I hope so.” Two weeks later on Collision, Claudio and Kingston had a sit-down interview with Tony Schiavone. They relitigated the fact that Claudio left the Indies without doing business with Kingston. When Claudio brings up their past and the fact he met Kingston’s parents early in their careers, Kingston lays out a challenge that could see Claudio potentially beat him in front of his parents. Kingston challenges him to a match at Arthur Ashe Stadium, with Claudio’s ROH World Championship and his NJPW STRONG Openweight championship on the line. Claudio agrees on one condition – Eddie finally gives him the handshake and respect he is owed from his victory at CHIKARA’s “Three-Fisted Tales” back in November 2009. Claudio doesn’t mention CHIKARA explicitly, but that’s what it’s about. Eddie agrees. Claudio says when he loses the title, it will be to a better man, but that man has never been and will never be Eddie.

NJPW STRONG Openweight Championship & ROH World Championship
Eddie Kingston vs. Claudio Castagnoli
AEW Dynamite #207; Grand Slam Part 1 – New York, NY – 9.20.2023

Eddie Kingston has been champion since 7.5.2023 and this is his second defense. Claudio has been champion since 12.10.2022 and this is his eleventh defense. Wheeler Yuta is in Claudio’s corner. Kingston is wearing his usual Toshiaki Kawada inspired yellow and black attire, and Claudio responds by wearing Mitsuharu Misawa inspired green and silver tights. Ian Riccaboni is on commentary, and Bryce Resmburg is the official.

Claudio’s aggressive attack early on leads to the two of them fighting on the floor. Claudio’s left knee collides with the barricades when Kingston Irish whips him into them, and Kingston also dragonscrew leg whips Claudio as he enters the ring. Claudio is still able to muscle Kingston into a gutwrench powerbomb, but Claudio has to shake out his knee after the drop. Kingston drops to a knee and attacks the knee when Claudio attempts a Ricola Bomb, so he slaps Kingston in the face. Kingston responds with an even harder strike and a German suplex. Claudio uses the crown of his head to block a Backfirst and pulls Kingston out onto the ring apron for a back suplex onto the entrance ramp! Claudio stomps on Kingston’s right hand before clotheslining him back into the ring. Kingston evades a crossbody, but Claudio immediately uppercuts Kingston before he can capitalize on the error. Claudio maintains control during the commercial break, and smothers Kingston with uppercuts in the corner like he did in his title match with Romero. Kingston kicks out of a TKO and fires up from Claudio’s boots from above. Kingston counters an uppercut with a backslide. A leaping enzuigiri, exploder suplex, and Saito suplex lead to a two count. He unloads multiple chops on Claudio, and when Claudio walks out of the corner towards Kingston, Kingston simply jabs him in the face. Claudio ducks to block a Northern Lights suplex and delivers his own jab. During a strike exchange, Claudio baits Kingston into a headbutt and a short arm lariat. He throws hammer and nail elbows before pulling Kingston into the Ricola Bomb. Kingston counters into a huracanrana which Claudio rolls through. He blasts Kingston with a European Uppercut for two and then goes for another Ricola Bomb. This time he lands it, but Kingston gets his shoulder up before three, and the New York crowd roars. Kingston lands a pair of Backfists after taking a European uppercut. He half-nelson suplexes Claudio and delivers a third Backfist. The Northern Lights Bomb only gets Kingston a two count. Claudio throws one more uppercut when he’s brought to his feet. Kingston Backfists Claudio for a fourth time in response, and then powerbombs him into a folding press for the pin at 15:17. Claudio and Eddie adhere to the Code of Honor after the match, fulfilling the Respect stipulation from nearly fourteen years ago, with Claudio giving Eddie the title before leaving the ring.

Eddie Kingston met Toshiaki Kawada for the first time when he was in Japan for the G1 Climax. Kawada told Kingston that he should use the powerbomb instead of the Northern Lights Bomb. Three weeks ago at Starrcast, Eddie told Kawada he would use the Powerbomb to defeat Claudio. When he failed to win at All Out, we thought that promise went unfulfilled, but it was really meant to be fulfilled on this night. It was an awesome way to both end this match and put this rivalry to rest. The rest of the match was awesome too – both guys fought tooth and nail, and you could feel just how important it was for each of them to get this win. It wasn’t just about the titles, it was about being the better man. For us CHIKARA fans, seeing this match play out on this stage and seeing Kingston get this win felt validating. Between ROH and New Japan, Eddie is finally getting his due at 41 years old, and there is a possibility that he will have his best run of matches during this stretch as double champ. I am stoked to see where it goes, and even if it ends up being a bust, this was a defining moment for the War King. ****

ROH Pure Championship
Katsuyori Shibata vs. Nick Wayne
ROH on HonorClub #30 – State College, PA – 9.21.2023

Shibata has been champion since 3.31.2023 this is his sixth defense. They announced this match on the previous week’s Collision, which might be the first instance of AEW plugging a match on the HonorClub show? Please correct me if I am wrong. 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 60 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 Dalton Castle (with 3 Boys behind him), Jimmy Jacobs, and Jerry Lynn, who is also on the ROH Board of Directors.
*Any wrestler who interferes will be terminated from the roster.

Wayne is able to duck an early PK from Shibata, but Wayne is forced to use his first rope break to escape an ankle lock. Wayne is hobbling outside of the ring when he baits Shibata into being whipped into the barricades. Shibata responds in kind by throwing Wayne into the barricades twice and following in the second time with a yakuza kick. Back in the ring, Wayne tries to fight back with chops, but the champion absorbs them and brings down Wayne with just one chop. Wayne refuses to stay down from a boot and takes down Shibata with a twisting uppercut. He shotgun dropkicks Shibata to the corner, then uses Shibata’s own forearm shots and hesitation dropkick against him. Shibata stands up, staring down Wayne, walking through his chops. He then sends Wayne into the corner and follows in with a yakuza kick. Wayne tries to fire up as Shibata knocks him down in the corner, but Shibata succeeds and lands his own hesitation dropkick. Wayne kicks out of follow-up suplex, so Shibata puts him in a sleeper hold, converting to a Cobra Twist when it seems Wayne is going to use a chinbreaker to free himself. Wayne uses his second rope break to escape, but Shibata knees him in the ribs before fully letting go. Wayne unwittingly houses his third rope break to block a German suplex, but it does allow him to land a modified Shiranui for two. Wayne ducks an open hand strike and kicks Shibata upside the head. After a superkick he goes for the OsCutter. Shibata catches him with a sleeper hold, bringing him down into a seated position, and then delivering the PK for the pin at 9:17. I like the confidence Wayne brought to the match – it helped raise his status from a severe underdog to an underdog you admire for their boldness. He and Shibata meshed their styles together really well, and while Wayne looked good, Shibata was never fully out of control and taught the haughty challenger a lesson. A very fun defense. ***¼

ROH Women’s World Championship
Athena vs. Angelina Love
ROH on HonorClub #30 – State College, PA – 9.21.2023

Athena has been the champion since 12.10.2022 and this is her fourteenth defense. Athena’s minion Billie Starkz is in her corner. Love herself is a former Women of Honor Champion, but has not been in ROH since December of 2021. She has mostly been in the NWA since, but did appear the previous week on Impact Wrestling’s 1000th television episode. Love sends Athena face first into the top turnbuckle to escape a waistlock. Athena celebrates after winning a forearm battle, and gets made when Love mocks her celebration after knocking her down from behind. An angry Athena gives her a spin kick to the mid-section and drives her into the mat with double knees. Love uses Starkz as a distraction on the floor to pull Athena down by her hair to the floor. In the ring, Love slams her head into the mat a few times before giving her a side slam for two. Love keeps on a chinlock for a long time, and Athena has to bite her forearm to finally free herself. A savate kick to the stomach and basement enzuigiri lead to a front flip haymaker in the corner from Athena. Starkz’ cheerleading distracts Athena on the top rope. Love brings Athena back down and nails her with the Botox Injection for two. Love gets into a verbal tiff with Starkz. Athena surprises Love with a waistlock, but Love is able to reverse into a schoolgirl pin. Athena escapes and pulls up Love into the Wrath of the Goddess for the pin at 5:21. This had a different tone to most Athena matches, as it felt a little more convivial with the back and forth at the start and Billie Starkz involvement. I actually think that’s a positive – you need to change things up now and again, and for someone like Love who isn’t a regular and has a more character based personality, it works really well. They did a lot in five minutes, and I wouldn’t mind seeing more of these kinds of challengers for Athena while they establish Mercedes Martinez as her next big challenger. **½

ROH World Six Man Tag Team Championship
The Mogul Embassy (Brian Cage, Bishop Kaun & Toa Liona) vs. The Infantry (Carlie Bravo & Shawn Dean) & Willie Mack
ROH on HonorClub #30 – State College, PA – 9.21.2023

The Mogul Embassy have been champions since 12.10.2022 and this is their ninth defense. Prince Nana is in the Mogul Embassy’s corner, and Trish Adora is in The Infantry and Mack’s corner. The Infantry and Mack are 2-0 coming into this match, winning trios matches on the two previous episodes. Bravo gets beaten down by the champions until he escapes from a suplex attempt from Cage and tags in Mack. Mack and Cage have a history on ROH TV, and Mack successfully keeps him grounded while also knocking Liona and Kaun down when they look to intercept. Cage gamengiri’s Mack as he ascends the ropes, and then deadlifts Mack in from the apron with a superplex. Bravo takes out Cage with a haymaker, and the Infantry wipe out Liona with double superkicks. Mack follows up with a Stunner, and the Infantry double suplex Liona for two. Mack scores a frog splash from Cage but is too worn down to follow up with a pin immediately. Cage kicks out at two when he does. Kaun cuts off Mack with an Air raid Crash and Liona pounces Dean out of the picture. Cage pulls Bravo into a German suplex, leaving Mack on his own in the ring. Liona and Kaun drop Mack with a double facebuster and Cage pins him at 9:27. This match was fairly flat and oddly constructed. It just didn’t feel like there was any cohesion between Mack and The Infantry at all, and when that’s the case, it’s tough to buy them as challengers.The best parts were when Mack and Cage were in the ring together. I consider this a disappointment. **¼

ROH World Six Man Tag Team Championship
The Mogul Embassy (Brian Cage, Bishop Kaun & Toa Liona) vs. The Elite (Adam Page, Matt Jackson & Nick Jackson)
AEW Rampage #111; Grand Slam Part 2 – New York, NY – 9.22.2023

The Mogul Embassy have been champions since 12.10.2022 and this is their tenth defense. Prince Nana is in the Mogul Embassy’s corner. The Elite are former Six Man Tag Team champions, winning them in Edinburgh, Scotland in August of 2017. Even though the Embassy strikes first, the Elite quickly make a comeback and take out the champions. They have Cage set up for a BTE Trigger when Swerve Strickland, Page’s opponent at AEW WrestleDream next Sunday, comes out and distracts them. Liona and Kaun attack the Young Bucks as Page goes face-to-face with Swerve. Page jumps in just in time to save Matt from a powerbomb pin from Cage. Cage deadlift superplexes Nick to take him out, and the Embassy attack Matt’s back during the commercial break. Matt elbows Cage off of the middle rope and dives onto Liona and Kaun on the outside before rolling under a clothesline from Cage and tagging in Page. Page springboard lariats Kaun on the ring apron and moonsault presses onto Cage for a two count. The Young Bucks suicide dive onto Liona and Kaun when they see them trying to interfere. Cage waterwheel slams Page for two. Page counters a super Death Valley Driver with a Frankensteiner. The Bucks double superkick Cage, and then double superkick Liona to the floor. Matt’s back is too weak, so Page stands in for Matt for a Meltzer Driver. However, Cage catches Nick, and the Mogul Embassy drops the Elite at the same time, and Cage pins Page for a two count. Liona splashes Page into a powerbomb from Cage, and Nick superkicks Cage in the back of the head to break up his pin. Liona and Kaun throw the Young Bucks to the floor, and Page wipes out both Liona and Kaun with a Buckshot Lariat. He drops Cage with the Deadeye for two. Cage ducks a Buckshot Lariat and turns Page inside out with a discus lariat. Cage goes for the Drill Claw, and Page counters that into a victory roll for the pin and the titles at 11:56. They did a good job involving Swerve in the match without his and Page’s story overshadowing the actual match. The champions were overshadowed by the star power of the Elite, but they played their role just fine, especially Cage who looked quite dominant against Page and thwarted all of the oppositions offense on multiple occasions. The Embassy’s title run had hit a rough patch, as seen in the above match review, so I am content with this title change, although this appears to be yet another title that won’t be on the actual ROH show anymore. ***½

Every ROH title was defended in September, some on very big shows, and there were two significant title changes. It’s tough to be upset about that. The ROH show is still garbage, but at least the title matches were mostly worthwhile. If nothing else, Claudio vs. Kingston is worth your time.