Garland, TX – 12.15.2023

Commentary is provided by Ian Riccaboni & Caprice Coleman.

Zero Hour

Taya Valkyrie vs. Jazmin Allure

This is Allure’s ROH debut. Johnny TV is in Valkyrie’s corner. Valkyrie pummels Allure right from the bell starting with a big boot. She even halts a wheelbarrow from Allure and places her on the middle rope so she can pull off a sliding German suplex. She crushes Allure with double knees in the corner for two. Allure gets in a few shots after a chinbreaker, but Valkyrie halts her momentum with a superplex. A modified Road To Valhalla and a curb stomp gets Valkyrie the pin at 4:30. More or less a squash for Valkyrie, who I think would be a good opponent for the Women’s title, regardless of who wins later tonight. *½

The Von Erichs (Marshall & Ross von Erich) vs. The Outrnners (Turbo Floyd & Truth Magnum)

The Von Erichs come out to “Stranglehold” by Ted Nugent which is appreciated. The Outrunners are overwhelmed by Ross to start, and even after a breather, Marshall doesn’t let them get any advantage. Ross pulls off the signature monkey flip, and the Outrunners bail when they see him lift up the claw. The Outrunners end up cutting Ross off on the floor. They don’t do a great job isolating him in their corner, missing quite a bit of offense, and Ross mule kicks them both away before tagging in a fired up Marshall. Floyd holds Marshall so Magnum can try a monkey flip, but Marshall moves and Flloyd ends up being flipped. The Von Erichs double hip toss Flloyd and double dropkick Magnum into Flloyd. The dazed Outrunners walk right into a double claw, and the Von Erichs get the submission win at 6:10. Kevin comes out to celebrate with his sons. The Outrunners weren’t afraid to show their asses and that made the match very fun to watch. A nice feel good hometown moment for the family and fans, and wise of AEW to capitalize on the Iron Claw buzz. But seriously, The Outrunners rule. **½

2023 Survival of the Fittest Opening Round Match
Bryan Keith vs. Jack Cartwheel

So we actually have one of the SOTF competitors who will be true to the original concept, qualifying for the final on the same night of the match. No surprise that Cartwheel, well, cartwheeled a whole bunch to throw Keith off of his game. When he tries a headscissors from the mat, Keith dropkicks Cartwheel while he is upside down. Cartwheel uses a cartwheel to pull off an enzuigiri, only for Keith to shut him down swiftly with a big boot. Impressively, Cartwheel uses a cartwheel dragonscrew leg whip to take down Keith. He also backflips under a clothesline and drops Keith with a neckbreaker. Keith sends Cartwheel to the apron. Cartwheel uses the ropes for a delayed headstand leg sweep, and then headstands in using the ropes into a twisting elbow drop for two. Cartwheel also pulls off a cartwheel powerslam for two. Keith grabs Cartwheel’s leg so he cannot ascend the ropes. Cartwheel fights him off, but that time bought by Keith gives him the ability to get back to his feet. He charges at Cartwheel, who cuts him off with a cartwheel Death Valley Driver and then knocks him to the floor with back handspring heels. Back in the ring, Keith surprises Cartwheel with a knockout knee to the face and then muscles him up into a sit-out Tiger Driver for the pin at 7:14. Late to the game, but these guys stole the qualifying round. Cartwheel won over the crowd, which is impressive considering Keith is the hometown guy. It was an amazing battle of power versus speed, and a match that I think should earn them both regular spots on the ROH roster. ***½

Daniel Garcia vs. Blake Christian

Garcia staves off Christian’s quick offense and takes him over with a butterfly suplex. He throws kicks at Christian’s chest to the crowd’s delight. Christian catches a stomp and flips Garcia into a dropkick. Christian then kicks him in the face from the apron before coming in with a handspring wheelbarrow into a dropkick to the back of the head. After another dropkick, Christian throws Garcia’s leg into the ropes and Christian kicks Garcia right in the head. Garcia is absolutely rocked, with referee Mike Posey looking at him to make sure he can continue. Garcia is glassy eyed as Christian throws shots to his head. Garcia fires up and peppers Christian with strikes to the chin before stomping him down in the corner. A facewashe kick and butterfly suplex into the turnbuckles gets Garcia a two count. Garcia puts Christian in a tree of woe and comes in with a hesitation dropkick for two. Christian takes Garcia down in the corner with a uranage and lands a moonsault senton to his back. Christian enzuigiri’s Garcia to the middle rope where he lands a tiger feint kick. A springboard forearm smash to the back of Garcia’s head gets him a two count. Just when Garcia is beginning to get in some offense, Christian takes him down with a standing Spanish Fly for two. Garcia blocks Christian’s 450 splash, pulling his left leg back before applying an ankle lock. Christian rolls forward, sending Garcia to the floor, where Christian follows with a Fosbury Flop into the Eye of the Hurricane. Christian pulls off the springboard 450 Splash, but it’s only good for two. Christian taunts Garcia’s dance, but when he goes for a stomp, Garcia evades and locks Chrisitian in the Dragon Tamer until Christian submits at 12:16. This lost a little bit of steam at the end but overall this was really good. It’s no surprise that the guy in the Continental Classic defeated someone not even under contract, but that didn’t stop the crowd getting really into Christian. Garcia was nursing his neck after the bout, so we’ll see if that affects him in his match tomorrow night against Eddie Kingston. A great combo to end an overall really good Zero Hour. ***½

Eddie Kingston tells Tony Khan that he doesn’t care if he’s wrestling tomorrow night on Collision, he’s the ROH World Champion and wants to fight on the show. Anthony Henry challenges Eddie, and Eddie accepts, saying they can have a Proving Ground match for the ROH World Title. Tony Khan makes it official.

Main Show

AAA Mega Championship
El Hijo del Vikingo vs. Black Taurus

Vikingo has been champion since 12.4.2021 and this is his twenty-first defense. This is Taurus’ ROH debut, and he refuses to follow the Code of Honor. He also refuses to be put down by any of Vikingo’s offense. Vikingo ducks a knee strike in the corner, which sends the charging Taurus to the floor, but even then Vikingo’s tope con hilo doesn’t go as planned, with Taurus catching him in mid-air and powerbombing him on the floor. Taurus also goozles Vikingo over the top rope and back out to the floor after they make it back into the ring. Taurus wipes him out with a twisting suicide dive. In the ring, Taurus plants Vikingo with a facebuster and a crucifix driver before popping him up into a Samoan Drop for two. Taurus misses a twisting senton off of the top. Vikingo is still in rough shape as he roundhouse kicks Taurus. In the corner, Vikingo pulls off the inside out shooting star Frankensteiner, as well as a couple of headscissors takedowns. Vikingo then springboards off the top into a moonsault. Back inside the ring, Taurus pounces Vikingo into the corner. When they both are standing on the top rope, Vikingo gets the better of the situation with a super Frankensteiner, though Taurus wisely rolls to the apron to avoid being pinned. On the apron, Vikingo is able to give Taurus an escalator powerbomb! Vikingo’s inside out Phoenix Splash doesn’t keep Taurus down, so Vikingo uses a springboard shotgun dropkick to send him across the ring. Unfortunately, when Vikingo charges, Taurus tosses him into the corner. Taurus then gives him an avalanche slam for two. Taurus ducks a kick and uses a moonsault Samoan Drop and a spear to take Vikingo down again. He pulls Vikingo into a headbutt to the chest. Vikingo dumps Taurus back to the floor and follows out with a 630 Splash. Taurus however gives him a Bane Backbreaker and then powerbomb backbreaker back in the ring, ending the sequence with a discus lariat for two. Vikingo counters another backbreaker with a reverse Frankensteiner, and after double knees in the corner, he crushes Taurus with a 630 splash for the pin at 16:30. You never see Vikingo get his shit pushed in like he did against Taurus. I already liked Taurus, but seeing him be an unstoppable monster made me an even bigger fan. My only complaint is this did go a little long, but it was pretty damn awesome the whole time. What a way to kick off the show. ****

ROH World Six Man Tag Team Championship
The Mogul Embassy (Brian Cage, Bishop Kaun & Toa Liona) vs. TMDK (Shane Haste, Bad Dude Tito & Kosei Fujita)

The Mogul Embassy have been champions since 11.1.2023 and this is their first defense. Prince Nana is in their corner. Haste earned this title match for his team, as he and Nichols defeated Kaun and Liona during New Japan’s World Tag League and were rewarded this match for doing so. This is both Tito and Fujita’s ROH debut. The Embassy enjoy pummeling the significantly smaller Fujita in their corner until Fujita cuts off Kaun with a spinwheel kick. Tito tags in and engages in a chop battle with Kaun, ending with a belly-to-belly suplex from Tito. Haste snapmares Kaun into a dropkick and then drops Fujita onto Kaun for a two count. Kaun ducks a corner chop and lariats Fujita, dragging him back to the Embassy corner so their bullying can resume. Fujita fights off Cage’s powerbomb attempt and impressively pulls off a German suplex. Tito tags back in and takes down Liona with a superkick/enzuigiri combo. He Blue Thunder Bombs Cage onto Liona and then suicide dives onto Kaun. Tito satellite DDT’s Liona for two. Tito gives Cage a Rydeen Bomb and Haste crushes Liona with a cannonball splash in the corner. Haste’s running knee strike to Liona gets him a two count. Liona recovers with a uranage splash to Haste. Kaun Hot Shots Haste into a spear from Liona, and Fujita jumps in to break the pin. Haste backdrops his way out of Kaun’s Greetings From Ghana and Tito gives Cage a Death Valley Driver. All of TMDK attack Kaun in the corner. Fujita springboard dropkicks Kaun for a nearfall as Haste and Tito neutralize Kaun’s partners ringside. Kaun blindsides Fujita with a shotgun dropkick. Cage deadlift superplexes Fujita in from the apron, and Tito breaks the pin just in the nick of time. Cage drops Tito with Weapon X. Haste then is taken out with a stereo chest and back pummel from Kaun and Liona. Fujita does his best to fight off all of the Embassy on his own, but he succumbs to the numbers game and gets pinned by the Galleon Throw into Cage’s sit-out powerbomb for the pin at 12:03. I was delighted to see TMDK get this match, and really think all of them delivered. Kaun clearly leveled up during the Tag League tour, and as he was the most present champion in the ring, he got the chance to show off. Once again, I think the match probably went on a little too long, but overall it was a great match, and a huge step up from The Embassy’s title win. ***¼

“I Quit” Match
Ethan Page vs. Tony Nese

Page was on a five match winning streak when Nese defeated him thanks to an assist from Josh Woods. Page would win their rematch a month later, but the animosity between them built, leading to this threematch. “Smart” Mark Sterling is in Nese’s corner, but per a stipulation added by ROH Board of Directors Jerry Lynn, he is handcuffed to the ring post. Dallas native Mark Henry makes sure this stipulation is upheld. Nese sneak attacks Page at the start of the match, but Page takes the upper hand by pummeling Nese relentlessly in the corner and wiping him out with a back elbow. Page is distracted by Sterling, considering getting his hands on him, and the lack of focus allows Nese to attack from behind with a pescado. Sterling attempts to use protein powder to blind Page, only for Page to duck and Nese to be blasted. Sterling is able to grab Page’s leg, and Nese to send him into the ring steps with a knee lift. Despite being busted open, Page refuses to quit. Page is able to reverse an Irish whip, sending Nese tumbling over the barricades, hitting it on his waist as he falls over. Nese tries to clobber Page with a weight, but Page moves out of the way. Nese whips Page with a jump rope, and Page retaliates in kind. Nese pretends hes going to quit to divert Page’s attention and uses the jump rope to snap Page’s throat on the top rope. The two of them fight over putting each other through two tables set up ringside by Nese, which Page ends up winning thanks to a slingshot Ace Crusher through both of them. Nese is able to give Page a super Frankensteiner in the ring, and even though he missed the two chairs he wanted to land on, Page’s neck still appears to be jacked up. A frustrated Nese steals the handcuff key from the timekeeper’s table and frees Sterling, who immediately puts the boot to Page. Nese brings the 45 pound weight plate into the ring. Scorpio Sky, Page’s former tag team partner, appears before Nese can smash him with the weight. Nese tries to attack Page with the weight and ends up crushing his fingers. Page DDT’s Nese onto the plate and then clobbers Sterling with it. He gives Sterling the Ego’s Edge and kicks him out to Sky who pulls Sterling by the head backstage. Nese attacks Page with a chair and handcuffs his wrists behind his back. Nese gives Page a chance to quit before pummeling him. Page yells “fuck you” to Nese and takes him down with a big boot. He has the referee uncuff him after shoulder tackling Nese. He blasts Nese in the face with a chair and chokes him with the handcuffs until Nese says I Quit at 20:05 A third match that was good but was too long, and this one felt its length far more than the other two. That said, I am really glad we had a non-title match that was exclusively featured on the ROH TV program receive a big, satisfactory PPV pay off. I also really love that Nese incorporated weapons into the match befitting of his character. ***½

Nyla Rose vs. Vertvixen

Very nice of the hometown hero Vertvixen to get time on a PPV, but just like the Garcia and Christian match, it was hard to buy her as a threat to Nyla. Nyla pulls up Vertvixen just before a three count after giving her a facebuster off of the second rope. A knee strike to the back of her neck as she hangs across the top rope and the Beast Bomb gets Rose the pin at 2:41. Like Taya’s match, this set up Rose as a potential challenger to the Women’s World Champion.

ROH World Television Championship – 2023 Survival of the Fittest Tournament Finals
Dalton Castle vs. Komander vs. Lee Johnson vs. Lee Moriarty vs. Kyle Fletcher vs. Bryan Keith

The winner of this match will win the vacant ROH World Television Championship. The Boys are in Castle’s corner and Alex Abrahantes is in Komander’s corner. Regardless of who is in the ring, Castle continues to find himself side stepped and thrown to the outside. Fletcher pummels Keith after surprising him with a heavy slam. It is also Fletcher who Castle finally breaks his bad luck against, throwing Fletcher to the floor instead of heading out there himself. Moriarty however kicks him to the floor and takes him and Keith out with a suicide dive. Johnson and Komander follow with their own dives. Back in the ring, Moriarty snaps Johnson’s fingers, just like he did with Tracy Williams in his qualifying match. The Thang leads to Moriarty submitting Johnston to the Border City Stretch at 8:47. The Boys smack Castle’s thighs to get him loosened up. As Castle is running roughshod on everyone, Johnny TV wipes out a Boy with a superkick. Castle is distracted by TV, who has been at odds with him in ROH of late. TV throws the other Boy into the ring, and that distraction leads to Moriarty pinning Castle with The Thang at 11:20. The crowd is big mad.

Komander and Keith take out Fletcher and Moriarty. Komander has Keith ready for his rope walk shooting star press after taking him out with a tornado DDT. Fletcher shoves Komander down and ascends the ropes, only for Keith to cut him off with a headbutt to the chin. Moriarty sneaks in from behind and Komander underneath him, ending with everyone being powerbombed by Komander. Komander scores a couple of nearfalls on Moriarty. Moriarty boots Komander and dropkicks him low. Keith gets one with an Ushigoroshi on Moriarty. Keith knocks out Moriarty with a knee to the face, and then hoists him up into the sit-out Tiger Driver for the pin at 15:38. Fletcher immediately crucifix pins Keith but only gets a two count. Keith Saito suplexes him into a running knee. Fletcher weaves out of the Tiger Driver and muscles Keith up into the Grimstone for the pin at 16:53, leaving Komander and Fletcher as the final two. Fletcher wants the Grimstone on Komander as well. Komander slips out, kicks out Fletcher’s leg, and springboards off the ropes into a reverse spike Frankensteiner. Fletcher catches Komander’s slingshot Frankensteiner attempt, and successfully gives him a tombstone piledriver on the ring apron. Komander makes it in the ring just before the twenty count, with Fletcher immediately giving him a brainbuster. Komander finds the strength to get his shoulder up from the pin and Fletcher places him on the top turnbuckle. Komander swings out Fletcher’s legs and gives him a springboard Destroyer for two. Komander slingshots Fletcher’s throat into the middle rope and lands a rope-walk 630 splash onto the ring apron! A 450 splash in the ring insanely only gets Komander a two count.Komander perches himself on the middle rope again. Fletcher kicks out his right knee and gives him a top rope brainbuster. Once more, Komander gets his shoulder up and the crowd goes wild. Fletcher cracks him in the back of the head with a heel kick and muscles him up into the Grimstone for the pin at 25:55. They did a really good job of giving everyone something significant in this match except for Johnson, but someone’s gotta be first out. I loved that Moriarty got two significant eliminations, and the crowd when it got to the final two combatants were unreal. I thought they went overboard with the nearfalls, but that crowd didn’t, and it definitely raised the excitement. Even if my dream of the TV belt becoming a Lucha showcase belt didn’t come true, Fletcher is excellent and should be a good champion. ****

ROH Pure Championship
Wheeler Yuta vs. Tom Lawlor

Yuta has been champion since 11.25.2023 and this is his first defense. This is Lawlor’s ROH in-ring debut, though he did accompany reDRagon to the ring for their match against The Young Bucks at “War of the Worlds 2014.” He is a former NJPW STRONG Openweight Champion. 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. Overhanded slaps and chops to the face are permitted. Punches to other parts of the body are permitted, excluding low blows. The first use of a closed fist results in a warning. The second use of a closed fist to the face results in 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 Chistopher Daniels, Jimmy Jacobs, andJerry Lynn, who is also on the ROH Board of Directors.

Lawlor makes the champion use the first rope break of the match by going for a Fujiwara armbar. Yuta uses a closed fist on Lawlor but the referee doesn’t see it, though he does see Lawlor’s retaliatory closed fist. Lawlor argues when he is issued a warning, and Yuta takes that opportunity to chop block Lawlor’s left knee. Yuta utilizes a sharpshooter to make Lawlor spend his first rope break. Lawlor spears Yuta to end a strike exchange with him. It takes two attempts, but Lawlor does connect with his leaping corner spear and takes Yuta out of the corner with an exploder suplex for two. Yuta blocks a Kamigoye and brings Lawlor back to the mat with a dragonscrew leg whip. He puts Lawlor in a kneeling Octopus Stretch. Lawlor tosses Yuta out of a high waistlock to counter the Painthriller. Yuta gets Lawlor in a single leg crab, When Lawlor escapes he kicks Yuta’s arm and pulls him up into a hammerlock tombstone piledriver. He puts Yuta in an Anaconda Vise, and Yuta uses his second rope break to escape. Yuta uses a closed fist strike against Lawlor and this time is warned for it. Despite the strike, Lawlor gets the better of Yuta on the top rope, bringing the champion down in a double wristlock slam and keeping it applied on the mat. Yuta maneuvers to the ropes, using his third and final rope break. Lawlor immediately sits down on Yuta’s back while applying an armbar. Yuta slips out underneath and puts on an ankle lock. Lawlor gets to his feet and is German suplexed, but he is able to roll Yuta into a double wristlock hammerlock and then into a chicken wing. Yuta pushes Lawlor onto his shoulders to escape. He traps Lawlor in a seatbelt pin and retains his title at 13:11. Lawlor’s feet seemed to be in the ropes, but the referee missed it, and it came off less well than anticipated. It also really took the wind out of our sails after they built up Lawlor as coming so very close to unseating Yuta. You could say that’s mission accomplished, but I dunno, it didn’t work for me. A good match overall, but it left me feeling a bit cold. ***

Yuta kicks Lawlor in the groin after the match. He’s about to DDT Lawlor on the title when Hook comes to his aid. Yuta seems to bail, but he low blows Hook and leaves him laying. Yuta and Hook have an FTW Title match coming up.

Keith Lee vs. Shane Taylor

This is a grudge match that probably should have happened last year, but the Pretty Boy Killers finally explode tonight. Taylor is stunned that Lee wins the shoulder block battle, as Lee just smirks his way. Lee also takes him down with a slingshot shoulder block. Taylor pulls Lee to the apron, and when Lee tries another slingshot shoulder block, Taylor stops him and brings him into the ring with the Tower of London for two. Taylor legdrops Lee on the apron. He strikes Lee a few more times, including a knee to the chin for a two count. The two of them trade body blows. Lee makes Taylor stumble to the corner with a forearm shiver and he follows him in with a splash. Taylor stuns Lee with a headbutt and pulls him into a uranage slam, landing a second rope splash after for two. As Taylor comes off the ropes, Lee lifts him up with one hand and slams him for two. As Lee is getting ready to climb the ropes, Lee Moriarty pops up. Lee takes matters into his own hands, throwing Moriarty into the ring and giving him a Spirit Bomb. From behind, Tyalor strikes Lee in the back of the head with a knee for a two count. Taylor impressively pulls off a super Destroyer on Lee but only gets two again. A haymaker also gets Taylor two, possibly due to Lee getting his hand up to soften the blow. Taylor goes for another strike, but this time Lee ducks and drops Taylor with Ground Zero for the pin at 14:40. Credit to these two, after a long night so far and fans seeing everything under the sun, they got the fans into their relatively slower paced, deliberate match. I felt it was wrestled as it should be – with Taylor wrestling to prove his worth. Lee was the obstacle for him to overcome, and on this night, Lee bested him. This was a very satisfying way to finally put this lingering “issue” to rest. ***½

Mark Briscoe & FTR (Cash Wheeler & Dax Harwood) vs. Blackpool Combat Club (Bryan Danielson, Claudio Castagnoli & Jon Moxley)

This is a match to boost ticket sales to honor Jay Briscoe. This is Bryan’s first ROH match since Glory By Honor VII, and Moxley’s first filmed ROH match (he had three dark matches between 2007 and 2009.) Danielson is wearing an eye patch as a result of an injury he sustained against Kazuchika Okada in October. Claudio sends Harwood shoulder first into the ring post to block a charge, and that gives the BCC a target to go after. Moxley does some damage on the floor before the rest of the BCC joins in on wearing down Harwood’s shoulder. When Harwood starts swinging at them, Claudio takes him down with a Giant Swing. Moxley makes the same mistake as Harwood, colliding shoulder first with the ring post when going for an attack. Before Harwood can escape, Claudio shoves him to the corner. Harwood ducks a clothesline and German suplexes Claudio to give himself the opening to tag in Mark, despite Danielson grabbing his leg. Mark throws redneck kung-fu at Claudio and Danielson and yakuza kicks Moxley off of the apron. Wheeler pulls off Redneck Boogie with Mark onto Danielson for two. Danielson fights back and gets a nearfall on Harwood with a swift kick to the head. Wheeler cuts off Danielson’s flying headbutt attempt. FTR land the Power-Plex, and Mark follows up with Froggy Bow, but only for a two count. Mark calls for the Doomsday Device. Danielson thwarts their plan, crotching Mark on the top rope and pitching Harwood to the floor. A series of offenses from everyone ends with Danielson and Mark wiping each other out with stereo running elbows. Danielson uses a Busaiku Knee to save Moxley from FTR’s Shatter Machine. Mark is tossed by Daneilson and Moxley into Swiss Death from Claudio. Claudio then gives Mark the Neutralizer, but only gets two. He mauls Mark with forearm shots in the corner and pulls him by his wrist into two short-arm clotheslines. Mark ducks the third, and FTR and Mark give Claudio the super Shatter Machine for two. Mark calls for the Jay Driller on Claudio. and Moxley clotheslines Mark to stop him. All six men brawl around the arena. All six men are then counted out at 18:51. Mark then demands the match be re-started as a Fight Without Honor and it happens. You couldn’t have done this earlier?

Mark is bloody but resilient as he fights Claudio in the ring. He uses a chair for a step-up tope con hilo. Mark then sets up a table and pours a bucket of thumbtacks on them and brings a barbed wire ladder out from the back. Moxley is forking Harwood’s eye. Moxley also shoves Mark off of the top turnbuckle and onto the barbed wire ladder. He forks Wheeler and digs barbed wire into his eyes. Danielson puts Wheeler in a barbed wire assisted LaBell Lock. Moxley gets Mark in a sleeper choke with a bodyscissors while Danielson and Claudio hold back FTR. Harwood carries Danielson over to Moxley and Mark and dumps them both onto them. If they had done the restart a minute or two in, that would’ve been one thing. Wheeler spears Claudio through a table on the floor, Harwood gives Moxley a piledriver through the thumbtack covered table, and Danielson tells Mark that “this isn’t his night” as he throws repeated kicks at his chest. Mark rolls out of the way of a Busaiku Knee and gives Danielson the Jay Driller onto a pile of chairs for the pin at 10:46.

To wait until 19 minutes deep into the first match, which was four hours deep into the show overall, really tested my patience. Instead of being wowed by all the hardcore stuff, I was waiting for it to end. Why not just have it be a Fight Without Honor from the start and not have to bother? Now the final moments were pretty cool, and I am pleasantly surprised to see Mark pin Danielson, but they could’ve laid this whole thing more efficiently and gotten a better result. ***

ROH World Championship Proving Ground Match
Eddie Kingston vs. Anthony Henry

If Henry is victorious, or lasts 10 minutes, he will earn a future ROH World title match. Henry feigns being dazed by Kingston’s strikes so he can pull him to the floor and crush him with a hip attack into the barricades. He follows that with a top rope double stomp to Kingston’s back and a sliding forearm smash to the neck for two. He then twists Kingston’s neck up using his feet twice. Kingston chops up Henry, including chops to his neck, and then throws rapid fire chops in the corner. Henry inside enzuigiri’s Kingston after ducking a Backfist and German suplexes him for two. He also gets two with a piledriver. Kingston evades another double stomp. He backfists Henry and immediately follows up with a half-nelson suplex. He puts Henry int he Stretch Plum and he taps out at 5:45. It’s not often you see the World Champion in the popcorn match, but here we are. This was so tough to really care about these late into the show and given that Henry, while a very good wrestler, stood no chance of winning this. **½

ROH Women’s World Championship
Athena vs. Billie Starkz

Athena has been the champion since 12.10.2022 and this is her sixteenth defense. Starkz was Athena’s student (or “minion” if you will), but attacked Athena when she realized that Athena was holding her down so she could not reach her full potential. Athena is wearing a face mask to assist with a broken nose. Starkz forearm smashes Athena first and kicks her to the floor. Athena is able to catch her suicide dive attempt and throws her into the barricades twice. She repeatedly smashes Starkz’s face into the barricades, ending the attack with double knees that sends her face into the barricades. Starkz’s head is bleeding as Athena drives her knees into her back and fish hooks her mouth. She pummels Starkz’s head when Starkz sneaks in a pin attempt. Just when it appears Starkz may get some sustained offense in, Athena gives her a uranage on the ring apron. Starkz suplexes her into the corner. Athena and Satarkz duck each other’s kicks, ending with Starkz giving Athena a half-nelson suplex. Starkz uses a rebound enzuigiri to knock Athena down and then flips in from the apron with a spear. She pulls off Athena’s face mask and throws strikes as Athena covers up her face. She gives Athena a facebuster onto her knee and a roundhouse kick. Starkz’s Swanton Bomb hits dead center, but it doesn’t get her the pinfall. Starkz’s suicide dive connects this time, and she makes Athena pay for earlier by throwing her shoulder first into the barricades. Athena moves when Starkz goes for double knees and shotgun dropkicks Starkz into the barricades. Athena brings Starkz onto the announcers table, but Starkz gets the better of the exchange, suplexing Athena off of the table and to the floor. She suplexes Athena onto the announcers table wooden sign before bringing her into the ring for a two count. Starkz throws Athena’s head into the floor, and when they get to the other side of the floor, Athena delivers a facebuster off of the barricades and to the floor. She then carries Starkz on her shoulders to the second rope and brings her down with a super electric chair German suplex. Referee Mike Posey is knocked down when Starkz accidentally kicks Athena into him. Athena calls her for other minion and ring announcer Lexy Nair to give her the Women’s title. Lexy is torn but ends up giving it to her. Starkz dropkicks Athena’s face into the title and then give her the Star 10 for a two count. Athena celebrates driving Starkz’s face into the ring post on the ring apron. Starkz pulls Athena onto her shoulders into an Electric Chair Driver on the ring apron! Starkz pushes her back into the ring for a two count. Athena forearms Starkz in the lower back to end a strike exchange. She pulls her up into the Wrath of the Goddess (now known as Despicable Knee), and only gets a one count. Starkz blocks the O-Count and into an O’Connor Roll. She tries the Star 10 again. Athena fights out. She hammerlock rolls Starkz into a full body submission, wrapping her leg around the back of Starkz’s neck. Starkz verbally submits at 28:30. I think a lot of people expected Starkz to win this and I can understand if people are disappointed. For me, they told such a great story of Athena having to fight the monster she created that I was plenty satisfied with Athena retaining. Starkz came closer than anyone during her title reign so far to unseating her, and that is due to Athena’s teachings and influence and encouraging her to bring out her aggressive side. The only way Athena could defeat Starkz is to literally pull her down to the mat, tie up her entire body, and make her submit. It’s a very cool trivia note that this was the first time women got to main event Final Battle, but they more than earned it. Not only is Athena the best wrestler on the ROH roster, but this is the best story on the show by a significant margin, and this spot was more than deserved. ****

A really good if not occasionally tedious show. I recommend it, but I also recommend watching it in multiple sittings.