On the December 21st episode of ROH on HonorClub, the first episode after Final Battle, Tony Khan introduced the ROH Women’s World Television championship. Yes, ROH is not on television. No, neither ROH and AEW need more titles, but it sure is a lot easier for a title to carry the purpose of a match and not actually build a story, and the more titles you have, the more often you can do that. That said, I do think a focus on women’s wrestling is something ROH could and should be doing to differentiate itself from AEW, and if they MUST have a second title to do so, then so be it.

I covered the tournaments for the Women of Honor title, as well as the ROH Women’s World title over the course of the Summer of 2021, so I figured I should take a look at this tournament as well.

ROH Women’s World Television Title Tournament First Round Match
Queen Aminata vs. J-Rod
ROH on HonorClub #51 – Phoenix, AZ – 2.15.2024

J-Rod is a relative rookie out of Los Angeles, appearing as part of the NJPW Academy Showcase in October. This is her ROH debut. She slaps Aminata in her ear, and Aminata makes her pay with overhand chops and a snap suplex. J-Rod Snake Eyes’ Aminata after a chinbreaker and follows up with a running boot. J-Rod keeps on Aminata, showcasing her arrogance in the process with a two handed pin. J-Rod misses a top rope splash, and Aminata blasts her with a running forearm smash. Aminata snapmares her into a spine kick before delivering a PK and a hip attack. She blasts J-Rod with a facewash kick. J-Rod drop toe holds Aminata in the opposite corner and lights her up with forearm strikes. J-Rod misses a corner attack. Aminata German suplexes J-Rod and then knocks her out with a headbutt for the pin at 6:04. J-Rod showed a lot of poise and her off putting demeanor helped the crowd get behind Aminata. Aminata got to show her aggressive, hard hitting style, and I think the headbutt is a bad ass finisher that suits her well. **¼

Aminata is interviewed backstage after her match. She says she did not move to America from West Africa just to be average. The tournament is not just for the TV championship for her, she is representing an entire continent. She is the one and only African woman wrestler.

ROH Women’s World Television Title Tournament First Round Match
Leyla Hirsch vs. Rachael Ellering
ROH on HonorClub #51 – Phoenix, AZ – 2.15.2024

Ellering and Hirsch were partners put together by Maria Kanellis, and though she no longer manages them, they have remained a tandem and developed a friendship. Because of this, they have an unspoken agreement to not strike each other, which ends after they each elbow each other in the face to escape a waistlock. Ellering begins nursing her elbow after a diving forearm and uppercut, leading to the ringside doctor checking on her. She ultimately continues the match, and pie faces Hirsch into not taking it easy on her. Hirsch acquiesced, and ultimately pinned Ellering with a running knee strike at 10:49, using her knee that has a knee brace on it. I appreciate the story, but it all came off as corny and forced. Ellering was just not convincing in the role, and Hirsch is a better badass than she is an empath. It just didn’t work for me. The wrestling was solid enough, although some of Ellering’s offense was suspect. **

ROH Women’s World Television Title Tournament First Round Match
Trish Adora vs. Mercedes Martinez
ROH on HonorClub #51 – Phoenix, AZ – 2.15.2024

Martinez gets on Adora’s bad side right away by mocking her salute after taking her down. Adora and Martinez fight for control over the other’s left arm, ending with Martinez snapmaring Adora into a handlebar stretch. Adora takes down Martinez with a headscissors while applying a double wristlock, and throws back Martinez’s earlier taunt by doing push ups and smiling at her. Adora also throws a salute when she shoulder blocks Martinez down. Martinez drives Adora’s back into the ring apron and focuses her attack on Adora’s back from there. Adora throws some forearm strikes from out of the corner. She takes down Martinez with a Thesz Press and unloads with strikes. Martinez slips off of Adora’s and drops her with a spinebuster. Adora rolls up Martinez. She then ducks a clothesline and German suplexes Martinez from her knees. Martinez knocks her down with a forearm shot to the back. The Brass City Sleeper gets Martinez the submission victory at 9:46. This was competent and well wrestled, but the crowd didn’t care and the match didn’t do anything to really engage them. It would have been nice for them both to advance further in the tournament, but what can you do? **¾

ROH Women’s World Television Title Tournament First Round Match
Kiera Hogan vs. Diamante
ROH on HonorClub #51 – Phoenix, AZ – 2.15.2024

Diamante shows no no quarter against Hogan, trying to swipe her after the Code of Honor handshake. Hogan ducks them and takes down Diamante in a side headlock, which Diamante breaks in the corner and then smashes Hogan in the throat with a forearm strike. Hogan drop toe holds Diamante to the middle rope and lands a hip attack on the back of her head. Hogan superkicks Diamante to the corner. When she tries an attack off of the second turnbuckle, Diamante sweeps her feet out and Hogan comes crashing down. Hogan reverses a suplex and pulls off a dropkick from the second turnbuckle. She misses a hip attack, but reverses Diamante’s falling elbow drop into the mat. Diamante rolls to the apron complaining of neck pain after taking a neckbreaker. It turns out to be a ruse, a cunning attempt to trick Hogan into having her eyes raked and neck snapped on the middle rope. A standing shiranui earns Diamante a two count. Hogan throws forearm strikes at Diamante after Diamante escapes a fisherwoman’s suplex. Diamante cuts her off with a Roll of the Dice for the pin at 6:31. This was an overall better version of the Ellering and Hirsch story, and more compelling for me given the competitors are real life partners. Commentary didn’t mention that directly, and I’m curious if that was a directive. You could argue this was too short, especially since it was the main event of the episode, but they maximized the minutes they were given. **¾

ROH Women’s World Television Title Tournament First Round Match
Taya Valkyrie vs. Sussy Love
ROH on HonorClub #52 – Henderson, NV – 2.22.2024

Johnny TV is in Valkyrie’s corner. Valkyrie established her power early in the match, so Love adopted a “stick and move” strategy to combat that advantage. What she could not combat was a distraction from Johnny TV, enabling Valkyrie to powerbomb Love back first onto the ring apron. Valkyrie adds insult to injury, throwing Love by her hair back inside the ring. Love cuts her off with a crossbody off the second rope and an enzuigiri for two. She also takes the wind out of Valkyrie’s lungs by placing her on the middle turnbuckle and driving her knees into Valkyrie’s chest out of a headstand. Valkyrie is in disbelief when Love kicks out of a . Valkyrie ends a strike exchange with a spear and pins Love with a curb stomp at 7:19. I enjoyed this way more than I anticipated. What could have been a squash for Valkyrie ended up as a teased upset for Love. Maybe it’s due to their shared background in Lucha that they worked together so well. I had a really good time watching this. ***

ROH Women’s World Television Title Tournament First Round Match
Red Velvet vs. Sandra Moone
ROH on HonorClub #52 – Henderson, NV – 2.22.2024

Moone’s only other ROH match was a loss to Yuka Sakazaki. She toured with Marvelous in Japan this past Fall. Moone mows down Velvet with a lariat early, and gets two with a top rope dropkick after escaping a submission in the corner from Velvet. Moone shows some disrespect, facewash kicking Velvet while holding onto her arm. Velvet sweeps out Moone’s leg as Moone comes off of the ropes and lands a standing moonsault for two. Velvet gets on a short-arm scissor momentarily to try and take away some of Moone’s strength, but that does not prevent Moone from pulling off a Blue Thunder Bomb and lariat for two. Velvet knee strikes Moone to block a corner attack. Moone tags her with a rolling forearm smash, then repeatedly strikes her shoulder blades before knocking her out with a mule kick for two. Velvet small packages her way out of a suplex and takes down Moone with a single leg dropkick, followed by a cazadora bulldog for two. Moone ducks a rolling enzuigiri and pulls off her fisherwoman’s suplex for two. Velvet stops Moone on the top rope and brings her down with a cazadora driver. Velvet’s rolling enzuigiri gets her the pin at 9:01. This was another match where they subverted expectations, putting Moone in the driver’s seat and having Velvet fight from behind. It was done very successfully due to their size mismatch and Velvet’s effective emoting, and the crowd was into it. I was too. ***¼

ROH Women’s World Television Title Tournament First Round Match
Abadon vs. Viva Van
ROH on HonorClub #52 – Henderson, NV – 2.22.2024

A headbutt from Abadon allowed her to maintain control over Van until Van took her out with a spinwheel kick. Van stretched out Abadon back in the ropes while also digging her fingers into her mouth, and she continued the stretch in a Bow and Arrow. Abadon counters a whip to the ropes with a headscissors, but Van immediately knocks her down with a clothesline. Abadon takes her out with a pair of clotheslines and an Ace Crusher for two. Abadon fights her way of an electric chair position and bites Van’s hand. Abadon lands a knee strike to the side of the head and follows up with Black Dalia for the pin at 5:48. This was more how I expected the previous two matches to go, with the unsigned competitor (Van) getting in some offense but never feeling like a threat. This is probably the best Van has looked in her various ROH and Dark matches over the years. **½

ROH Women’s World Television Title Tournament First Round Match
Billie Starkz vs. Robyn Renegade
ROH on HonorClub #52 – Henderson, NV – 2.22.2024

Starkz comes into this tournament as a heavy favorite, taking Athena to the limit in the main event of Final Battle. Even though Starkz kicks Renegade upside the head, Renegade is able to escape a brainbuster attempt and block a forearm strike with one of her own. She trash talks Starkz as she lays in heavy chops in the corner. Starkz ducks a chop and unleashes a violence party on Renegade. Renegade takes her back down with a shotgun dropkick and chokes her with her studded boot. Starkz nurses her back after taking a fisherwoman’s suplex. Renegade further damages Starkz’s back with a back cracker and neck crank. Starkz uses the ropes for a rebound enzuigiri out of the corner and charges out with a clothesline. Renegade rolls to the floor after kicking out of a roundhouse kick and Starkz follows with a pair of suicide dives. Renegade catches her third dive and drives her back first into the ring apron. Renegade capitalizes on that with a sunset bomb off of the ring apron and to the floor! Starkz makes it into the ring just before the ten count is registered. Renegade pummels her back and goes for a pin, only getting two. Starkz escapes a pump-handle slam and takes down Renegade with a half-nelson suplex. Starkz locks Renegade in a modified chicken wing to get the submission victory at 9:47. They saved the best match of the opening round for last. Starkz was so beloved and Renegade was such a great antagonist that their momentum swings and the riskier offense really connected with the crowd. Starkz established a new submission finisher and they could continue the story of her back being damaged if they wanted to. Very good stuff. ***¼

ROH Women’s World Television Title Tournament Quarterfinal Round Match
Queen Aminata vs. Taya Valkyrie
ROH on HonorClub #53 – Springfield, MO – 2.29.2024

Johnny TV is in Valkyrie’s corner. Valkyrie bails to the floor when Aminata looks for a hip attack. Aminata follows, and a distraction from Johnny leads to Valkyrie surprising her with a spicy single leg dropkick. Valkyrie throws her into the barricades and suplexes her onto the floor. In the ring, Valkyrie cuts off Aminata’s comeback with a spear. Aminata fights out of Valkyrie’s grasp and German suplexes her. She snapmares Valkyrie into a PK and facewash kicks her in the corner. Aminata then hits the corner hip attack she attempted earlier in the contest. Valkyrie comes back with a Blue Thunder Bomb for two. Aminata kicks out of a double underhook compress. She rolls up Valkyrie for two and then rocks her with a headbutt to the jaw for the pin at 8:52. I love that Aminata’s headbutt is being built up. This is Valkyrie’s first loss on ROH, and commentary appropriately treated this defeat like a big deal to add more value to Aminata. This wasn’t as good as I was hoping, but totally solid. **½

ROH Women’s World Television Title Tournament Quarterfinal Round Match
Red Velvet vs. Leyla Hirsch
ROH on HonorClub #54 – Springfield, MO – 3.7.2024

Hirsch goes for a cross armbreaker early while Velvet looks for a short arm scissors. After reaching a stalemate, Hirsch throws Velvet down by her hair and catches her coming off of the ropes with a Saito suplex. Velvet rolls out of an O’Connor Roll and throws body shots at Hirsch in the corner. Hirsch pie faces Velvet before choking her with her boot in the corner. Velvet throws a pair of open face strikes and then digs her boot into Hirsch’s throat while doing the splits. Hirsch shotgun dropkicks Velvet across the ring for a two count. Hirsch attempts to choke out Velvet in the corner from a perched position on the top turnbuckle. Velvet cleverly counters with an Iconoclasm. She gets the short arm scissors even though Hirsch rolls away from her on the first attempt. Hirsch rolls Velvet onto her shoulders for a pin to escape. Velvet quickly superkicks Hirsch and kicks her in the shoulder before climbing up the ropes. Hirsch cuts off Velvet and brings her down with a superplex. They fight up from the mat with Velvet taking down Hirsch with a leg lariat. Hirsch hops over a backdrop attempt and bridges Velvet in a German suplex for two. Hirsch then gets two with a lariat. Velvet evades a suplex and drives her knees into Hirsch’s shoulder. Hirsch rolls up and clobbers Velvet with a knee to the head. She quickly lands a double jump moonsault for two. Hirsch pulls Velvet up, and Velvet sunset flips her. Hirsch reverses, but Velvet rolls her back and holds onto her leg to get the pin at 9:46. I was hoping Velvet’s arm work on Hirsch would’ve played a more direct role in the finish, but I’ll take it. This was a bit of an upset as Velvet is relatively new to ROH while Hirsch has been a stalwart of the women’s division for a long time, but I appreciate a fresher name in the semifinals. Overall this match was really damn good. It was hard hitting and they kept things exciting with several momentum shifts. ***½

ROH Women’s World Television Title Tournament Quarterfinal Round Match
Billie Starkz vs. Diamante
ROH on HonorClub #55 – Duluth, GA – 3.14.2024

A really scary belly-to-belly suplex from Diamante sees Starkz land on her neck. Starkz rolls to the floor, but Diamante gives her no space to recover, sending her into the barricades twice. Diamante wears down Starkz back in the ring until she halts Diamante with a rope assisted enzuigiri in the corner. After taking down Diamante with a few suicide dives, she gets two back in the ring with a neckbreaker onto her knee. Diamante cuts off Starkz as she climbs the ropes, but Starkz then cuts off Diamante’s wheelbarrow attempt, countering into a facebuster. Diamante inside cradles Starkz for two. She also gets two with a Chaos Theory, which was surprising given the neck damage Starkz took earlier in the match. After trading strikes and positioning, Diamante pulls off a wheelbarrow stunner, and then a standing Shiranui for two. Starkz cuts her off with a roundhouse kick and hits the Swan Dive (Swanton Bomb) for two. Starkz pulls Diamante into her modified chicken wing and Diamante taps out at 11:38. As expected, Starkz continued to build her submission as the tournament rolled on. They didn’t continue the story of Starkz back being worked over, but in fairness, the scary suplex onto her neck was all they needed to get the crowd behind her. Diamante’s ruthlessness helped too. ***¼

ROH Women’s World Television Title Tournament Quarterfinal Round Match
Abadon vs. Mercedes Martinez
ROH on HonorClub #55 – Duluth, GA – 3.14.2024

Abadon headbutts Martinez during the opening handshake. She wipes out Martinez on the floor with a cannonball senton off of the apron. Martinez boots Abadon when she tries to charge at her, and butterfly suplexes her back in the ring. Abadon laughs at Martinez after being knocked down with a forearm shot. She throws down Martinez when she catches a running boot and gives her a Code Breaker for two. Martinez weaves under a whip and Saito suplexes Abadon. She boots Abadon in the corner before pulling her out into a powerbomb for two. Martinez locks in a half crab until Abadon gets the ropes. Abadon comes out of the corner with a headscissors takedown and drops Martinez with an Ace Crusher. Martinez wisely rolls to the apron as Abadon approaches for a pin attempt. On the apron, Martinez cracks Abadon in the face with a running knee. Martinez then gives Abadon Total Anarchy from the apron to the floor! Abadon is able to recover back in the ring and gnaws on Martinez’s arm before DDTing her for two. Someone strikes Abadon from the floor as she hits the ropes. Martinez then puts her way with a fisherwoman’s suplex at 9:46. It turns out to be Diamante, Martinez’s regular tag team partner, who cost Abadon the match, which makes sense but was very dissatisfying. The match was good but not great until then. All respect to Abadon but did they really need to be protected? **¼

ROH Women’s World Television Title Tournament Semifinal Round Match
Billie Starkz vs.Mercedes Martinez
ROH on HonorClub #56 – Ottawa, ONT – 3.21.2024

Diamante is in Martinez’s corner. Starks rakes Martinez’s eyes to escape a straightjacket choke. Starkz superkicks Martinez in the back of the head after kicking out of a pin. Martinez reverses a suplex into Two Amigos and a Third Delayed Amigo. Martinez ducks Starkz’ rope-assisted enzuigiri, traps her on the second rope and stomps her into the canvas. Starkz pulls off the enzuigiri moments later and follows up with a German suplex. Starkz lands one suicide dive, but when she goes for a second, Diamante pulls Martinez out of the way and Starkz crashes and burns. Martinez uses the barricade for Total Anarchy on the floor. She superplexes Starkz back in the ring. Martinez looks to follow up with another suplex, but Starkz counters with an Ushigoroshi. Martinez recovers first and knocks down Starkz with an uppercut. She perches Starkz on the middle rope and looks for a Razor’s Edge. Starkz escapes, sends Martinez to the floor and follows with a crossbody off of the ring apron. She lands the Swan Dive, but Martinez counters her pin into a crucifix. They end up in a pin exchange, and then Starkz knees Martinez in the jaw. Martinez knocks Starkz down with a boot in response, but Starkz shotgun dropkicks Martinez when she gets back to her feet. After a Gory Special, she looks for the Swan Dive again. She has to fight off Diamante on her way up, and that allows Martinez to sneak in from behind with a Cheeky Nando’s kick and then a Razor’s Edge Dominator. Starkz kick out of that, and an angry Martinez pulls Starkz up into a Saito suplex. Starkz counters a fisherwoman’s buster with a small package for two. She then swipes away Martinez’s running boot and rolls her up for the pin at 11:32. Starkz earning a win over a former ROH Women’s Champion en route to the finals is a great way to get her momentum. This was also different from her other bouts, as she won by the skin of her teeth rather than with her new submission, which shows she is quick on her feet and could snap a victory out of nowhere. Fans were also jazzed to see her advance, making this an overall success. ***¼

ROH Women’s World Television Title Tournament Semifinal Round Match
Red Velvet vs. Queen Aminata
ROH on HonorClub #56 – Ottawa, ONT – 3.21.2024

Things get spicy when Aminata rubs her backside on the back of Velvet’s head to taunt her. She catches a headscissors attempt from Velvet. Velvet is able to turn it into a huracanrana for two. She dizzy’s Aminata with a couple more pin attempts, but Aminata catches her coming off of the ropes with a fallaway slam. She blasts Velvet with a running boot against the bottom rope. Velvet side steps a hip attack in the corner. She lights up Aminata with chops and takes her down with a single leg dropkick. Velvet gets two with a casadora bulldog. Velvet rolls through a victory roll from Aminata and double stomps her chest thrice, attempting an pin after each one. After the third, Aminata muscles Velvet up into a German suplex. She tries a German suplex on the apron. Velvet flips onto her feet and spears Aminata instead. She then drives her knees into Aminata’s head, sending her face into the corner of the ring steps. Despite this, Aminata wins a strike exchange with Velvet, punctuating it with a Golden Gate Swing for two. Velvet superkicks Aminata when Aminata pulls Velvet to her feet. Velvet mocks Aminata’s “one and only” taunt before roundhouse kicking her. Aminata cracks Velvet with a headbutt in response, earning her the pin at 9:24. With three wins under her belt using the move, the expectation heading into the finals is that if Aminata headbutts Starkz, it’s curtains for her. Outside of Starkz and Aminata, Velvet was the MVP of this tournament for me, putting on a great performance in every round coming out of this in better standing than she did going in. She would be a great challenger for either Women’s title in the future. ***¼

ROH Women’s World Television Title Tournament Final Round Match
Billie Starkz vs. Queen Aminata
ROH Supercard of Honor 2024 – Philadelphia, PA – 4.5.2024

The winner of this match becomes the inaugural ROH Women’s World Television champion. Starkz defeated Robyn Renegade, Diamante, and Mercedes Martinez en route to the finals, while Queen Aminata defeated J-Rod, Taya Valkyrie, and Red Velvet. This is also the first time I can ever remember commentary addressing a competitor (Aminata) fasting for Ramadan and how that could effect her performance. Aminata absolutely obliterates Starkz with a running kick to the face. She does more damage to Starkz’s back inside of the ring. Starkz avoids a hip attack and takes down Aminata with a follow through clothesline. Aminata ducks a rebound enzuigiri and German suplexes Starkz into another running punt for two. Although Aminata lands a heavy Complete Shot, Starkz is able to escape an Air Raid Crash and drive Aminata back first into the mat. Starkz knees Aminata in the jaw and gets two with Ushigoroshi. Aminata counters Starkz’s suplex with a rolling neckbreaker. Starkz roundhouse kicks Aminata, and Aminata throws a desperation clothesline. Aminata kicks the inside of Starkz’s knee when Starkz is in the corner. Aminata drop toe holds Starkz and looks for another hard punt to the head. Starkz moves out of the way this time and takes out Aminata with a suicide dive. Starkz misses a somersault senton on the apron. Aminata crushes her with a double stomp on the floor. She follows with a Swanton back in the ring, and Starkz kicks out at one. Aminata is blown away. Despite her deep cover, Aminata’s Air Raid Crash fails to yield a three count as well. Starkz kicks Aminata down from the middle rope. Aminata gets her knees up to block Starkz’s Swanton. She tells the referee her neck is injured and the doctor is called in to check on her. Aminata holds the rope open so the doctors can take her to the back, and of course, Starkz German suplexes Aminata and locks her in a sleeper hold aggressively. Aminata passes out at 17:42, making Starkz the inaugural ROH World TV Champion. That ending definitely portrayed that Starkz has been successfully warped by Athena in doing whatever it takes to win, but it’s not how I would’ve liked for a tournament to establish the first champion to end. Aminata for me was the tournament MVP, and I would’ve loved to have seen her win, so if there is any silver lining, she has a strong case for a rematch. MMV on that ending but the rest of the match was darn good. ***½

A good, maybe even very good tournament, but not great. It is fitting that the best performers made it to the finals, but kudos to Red Velvet and Leylya Hirsch for their contributions as well.