On May 16th, AEW announced it would be taking residency in Arlington, Texas’ ESports Stadium from July 20th through August 17th. Every episode of AEW Collision during this period would be filmed in Arlington, as well as the ROH Death Before Dishonor PPV. This residency would also see the return of committed ROH TV tapings, similar to the Universal Studio tapings ROH held at the beginning of the TK Era, as opposed to filming ROH matches before and after AEW TV shows. As a result, the month of August was quite busy for ROH title defenses. Only the ROH Women’s and Women’s TV titles were not defended, and even so, both Athena and Velvet had Proving Ground matches during that period.

ROH World Six Man Tag Team Championship Match
Dustin Rhodes & The Von Erichs (Marshall von Erich & Ross von Erich) vs. Iron Savages (Boulder & Bronson) & Jacked Jameson
ROH on HonorClub #75 – Arlington, TX – 8.1.2024

Rhodes and the Von Erich’s have been champions since 7.27.2024 and this is their first defense. The large Boulder back elbows Ross to end the von Erich’s successive tandem offense. Ross took out Bronson with a Sling Blade and tagged in Rhodes, who would end up taking down Bronson with a bulldog. An interjection from Boulder didn’t go as planned, but it did allow for Bronson to double axe handle Rhodes in the back of the head and turn the match in the challenger’s favor. Rhodes cleverly double clotheslines Boulder and Jameson to the floor when Bronson whipped him into the corner. Bronson was still able to take him down with a spinebuster after the fact. He also cleared the apron, so that when Rhodes backdropped Bronson, nobody was there to tag in. That changed when Rhodes snap slammed Bronson, and he was able to tag in Marshall. Marshall impresses the Texas crowd with a bodyslam to the huge Boulder. He follows that up with a somersault senton to Jameson in the corner, but Bronson jumped in to break his pinfall. Rhodes took out Bronson with a running Texas Destroyer. Referee Aubrey Edwards prevented Rhodes from delivering the Unnatural Kick, but the von Erich’s gave him a double dose behind her back. A tandem Claw slam from the von Erich’s to Jameson would get Marshall the pin at 12:18. The good thing about the Iron Savages is their size makes them a credible threat, regardless of their lackluster win-loss record. That dynamic helped turn the champions into underdogs and the crowd got even more behind them as the match progressed. It was a bit slow to start, but everything from the Dustin’s big slam to Boulder through the finish was good and fun. A very solid first defense for the Texans. **¾

ROH World Tag Team Championship
The Undisputed Kingdom (Matt Taven & Mike Bennett) vs. The Infantry (Carlie Bravo & Shawn Dean)
ROH on HonorClub #76 – Arlington, TX – 8.8.2024

The Undisputed Kingdom have been champions since 12.27.2023 and this is their fifth defense. This is also a rematch from “Supercard of Honor”, where the Kingdom retained thanks to interference from Wardlow. The Infantry demanded this rematch last week, using their recent AEW and ROH successes and Wardlow’s interference to justify the demand. The Kingdom agreed, saying it would be the same result as last time. Trish Adora is in the Infantry’s corner. The Infantry stop the Kingdom’s early attempt to bail on the match and be counted out. The Infantry controlled the match until Bennett caught Dean with a knee strike from the apron, sending him into a suplex from Taven. The Kingdom focus their attack on Dean’s attack as they keep him isolated. The Kingdom stop him from tagging Bravo twice, but Dean is finally able to do so after ducking a strike from Taven and leaping to his corner. Bravo haymakers Taven and drops Bennett with a neckbreaker upon entering the match. He then gets two on Taven with a slingshot stunner. Bravo scissor kicks Taven and tags in Dean, who comes in with a top rope splash onto Taven. Bennett breaks up the pin. He ends up with Bravo on the floor where he blasts Bravo with a Boston Bayonet. Bennett tags himself in, unbeknownst to Dean. Taven pushes him into a Death Valley Driver from Bennett, and then cracks Dean with Just The Tip. Bravo breaks the pin and gets pitched out. Dean escapes Hail Mary and sets Bennett up for Boot Camp. Taven pulls Bravo to the floor and sends him into the barricades. Taven keeps Aubrey Edwards distracted long enough for Bennett to punch Dean in the ding-ding. The Kingdom then successfully pulled off the Hail Mary for the pin at 11:46. This didn’t have the same level of energy as their PPV match but was executed just as well. Picking this feud up four months after their last match will have that effect. It was also their second lackluster ending. I don’t have a problem with the Kingdom cheating, but when the Infantry lose to them twice because of it, it does make them look a bit foolish. ***

Episode 77 of ROH on HonorClub starts with an “earlier in the day” segment where Johnny TV asks ROH Board of Directors Member Paul Wight for an ROH World Title match. Wight says TV has been on fire, and agrees to give him the match. In case you were wondering, “On fire” means two singles wins since the last PPV against lower card wrestlers.

ROH World Championship
Mark Briscoe vs. Johnny TV
ROH on HonorClub #77 – Arlington, TX – 8.15.2024

Briscoe has been champion since 4.5.2024 and this is his third defense. Taya Valkyrie is in TV’s corner. Valkyrie claims Briscoe is “distracted by her beauty” when she jumps up on the apron and distracts him after Briscoe had delivered a redneck kung-fu kick to TV. TV kicks away at Briscoe’s ribs and also gives him a kick on the back of his head. In the ring, TV bends backwards to avoid a running crossbody, and then cracks the champion with a Shining Wizard for two. Briscoe fights TV off to avoid a superplex. Briscoe then comes off the top with a dropkick. Valkyrie pulls TV away when Briscoe sends him out with a uranage suplex and spicy dropkick. Referee Stephon Smith ejects Valkyrie, and while he is dealing with that, Briscoe blindsides TV with a running blockbuster from the ring apron. TV escapes a Jay Driller and lands a Flying Chuck. The Moonlight Drive and Superstation only get TV a two count. Briscoe recovers after a double clothesline. After clobbering TV in the chin with a forearm strike, he puts him down with the Jay Driller for the pin at 9:06. A more lighthearted ROH World Title match than your normal fare, which I think for a match with no build is OK. Briscoe ultimately looks good in withstanding Taya’s interference and both of TV’s big finishers, so it all works out in the end. **¾

Later in the show, Mark Briscoe challenges The Beast Mortos, wanting to get retribution for Mortos pinning him on Dynamite the Wednesday after Death Before Dishonor. He needs his comeuppance, and the title will be on the line. That takes place next week.

ROH World Television Championship
Atlantis Jr. vs. Robbie Eagles
ROH on HonorClub #77 – Arlington, TX – 8.15.2024

Atlantis Jr. has been champion since 6.28.2024 and this is his third defense. Eagles returned to ROH last week and defeated Darian Bengston with the Ron Miller Special. Eagles wanted more competition, and challenged Atlantis Jr. to this match, and it was made official early in the episode. Atlantis ends the fast pace of the match by popping Eagles up and kicking him in the jaw as he comes down. Eagles evaded a floor attack and then wiped out Atlantis with a tope con hilo. Eagles tries to unmask Atlantis back in the ring amidst his offensive stride. Atlantis upkicks Eagles once again in the corner after popping him up, this time in the chest. A superkick then leads to a kneeling reverse piledriver and wheelbarrow suplex combo for two. Atlantis misses a frog splash. Eagles springboard dropkicks Atlantis’ knee and rolls him into the Ron Miller Special. Atlantis agonizes as he crawls to the ropes to escape. Eagles immediately drops a knee on the back of Atlantis’ knee upon releasing the hold and gives him a spinning toe hold. Atlantis catches Eagles coming off of the ropes with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker, hurting himself in the process. Atlantis trips Eagles into a Magistral Cradle for two. Eagles evades another backbreaker and waistlock rolls Atlantis for two. Eagles also blocks a superkick and pulls Atlantis over his shoulder into a slam for two. Atlantis surprises Eagles with a superkick in the corner. When Eagles tries a standing shiranui, Atlantis pushes him to the ropes. He muscles Eagles up into La Atlantida. He kneels to apply more pressure, and Eagles submits at 9:33. This was surprisingly more heated than just about every other title match since the PPV. I think part of that was due to Eagles interacting with some hecklers, and the fact that these two presented such a different style of match, which is helpful in standing out during these marathon taping days. The crowd really wanted Atlantis to retain, and Eagles acknowledging those hecklers in the front row only exacerbated their energy. This match is also on New Japan World, so if you have that or Honor Club, I’d give this a watch. ***½

ROH World Six Man Tag Team Championship Match
Dustin Rhodes & The Von Erichs (Marshall von Erich & Ross von Erich) vs. Cage of Agony (Brian Cage, Bishop Kaun & Toa Liona)
ROH on HonorClub #77 – Arlington, TX – 8.15.2024

Rhodes and the Von Erich’s have been champions since 7.27.2024 and this is their second defense. Cage of Agony of course are former champions, but have not been teaming much of late. They beat down Marshall and then Ross, doing a remarkable job of helping each other cut off the respective von Erich any time it appears they’re about to make a comeback. Dustin grows frustrated with the double and triple teaming from the challengers, and is especially angry when Liona knocks Marshall off the apron while on offense. Liona gives Dustin a smirk before going for a corner splash on Ross, which he misses. Dustin finally tags in, taking down Cage with a bulldog, Kaun with a powerslam, and Liona with a German suplex. Cross Rhodes gets two as Kaun jumps in to break his pin on Cage just in time. A series of offenses leads to Dustin and Cage as the last two men standing. When Cage goes for an F5, Rhodes counters into a Destroyer. Just as Dustin and the von Erichs are poised to put Claws on their opponents, The Dark Order of Evil Uno, Alex Reynolds and John Silver, who have been feuding with Rhodes of late, and the Undisputed Kingdom interfere, attacking the challengers for a DQ at 9:01. Sammy Guevara, who rescued Dustin from a Dark Order beatdown a couple of weeks back, comes out in the hopes of helping, but the numbers advantage is too much. They even take out Fuego Del Sol, Serpentico and Angelico when they run in to help. Taven and Bennett lay out Dustin with the Hail Mary, and that finally leads to ROH officials to come out and end the melee. This was more of an angle than match, but the match was fine before it ended abruptly. **

ROH World Tag Team Championship
The Undisputed Kingdom (Matt Taven & Mike Bennett) vs. Dustin Rhodes & Sammy Guevara
AEW Collision #58 – Arlington, TX – 8.17.2024

The Undisputed Kingdom have been champions since 12.27.2023 and this is their sixth defense. We get a quick recap of Dustin and Sammy becoming partners, defeating Silver and Reynolds in tag action, and then the attack from the Undisputed Kingdom in the Six Man Tag Title match from two nights earlier. Guevara wipes out the Kingdom on the floor with a Fosbury Flop, and draws out their ire with a fake out springboard. Bennett pulled Guevare to the floor after he and Dustin give Taven a double flapjack. Even though he ducked the Boston Bayonet and superkicked Bennett, Taven caught Guevara off guard with a spicy dropkick. Bennett choked Guevara on the floor and Taven sent him into the ring steps before bringing him back into the ring. Guevara endures a beatdown in the corner, even sneaking in a schoolboy at an inopportune time as Stephon Smith is tied up with Dustin. Guevara kicks out of the Proton Pack as we return from the commercial break. Guevara also halted Taven on top turnbuckle and brought him down with a one-man Spanish Fly. Guevara enzuigiri’s Bennett and tags in Rhodes. Rhodes enters to a huge roar from the Arlington crowd. He bulldogs Bennett and then snap slams both Kingdom members before spiking Taven with a running Destroyer. Rhodes delivers the Unnatural Kick to Taven, and Bennett has to make the save when Rhodes pins him with the Cross Rhodes. Rhodes also gives Bennett the Cross Rhodes. Roderick Strong, the Kingdom’s partner, and their recent associate The Beast Mortos run out to cause a distraction, but they’re thwarted by Rhodes’ Six Man Tag Team title partners Ross and Marshall von Erich. All three members of Cage of Agony join the melee on the floor, so The Conglomeration of Mark Briscoe, Tomohiro Ishii and Kyle O’Reilly come out to even the odds. As all of them brawl to the back, Taven scores a very close nearfall on Rhodes with a small package. Guevara saves Rhodes from Hail Mary by bringing Taven off of the top turnbuckle with an Ace Crusher. Rhodes delivers the Final Reckoning to Bennett and Guevara lands a Senton Atomico to win the match and the titles at 12:02. Like many of the matches on Death Before Dishonor, the white hot crowd made this match. They loved Dustin, were behind Sammy as his partner in crime, and they loved the chaos on the floor when it ensued. Dustin is in rarified air holding two ROH titles at the same time, and Texas was the perfect place for him to achieve that goal. I could, and maybe should, bellyache about this not being on an actual ROH show, but a good match is a good match. ***½

ROH World Championship
Mark Briscoe vs. The Beast Mortos
ROH on HonorClub #78 – Arlington, TX – 8.22.2024

Briscoe has been champion since 4.5.2024 and this is his fourth defense. Mortos starts off hot with a Jon Woo dropkick, but sends himself sailing to the floor when Briscoe dodges a corner knee strike. Briscoe spicy dropkicks him into the barricades before coming off the apron with a Cactus elbow. Mortos weaves out of a Jay Driller attempt back in the ring. He then powerslams Mark out of the corner for two. He tears at Mark’s face and also stretches out his shoulders in the ropes. Briscoe takes down Mortos with a flying forearm and gets revenge for earlier by digging his fingers into Mortos’ mask openings. Mortos elbows his way off of Mark’s shoulders and snapmares the champion into a neck snap using his feet. Briscoe palm strikes Mortos off of the middle rope and to the floor and follows with a tope suicida and a chair-assisted somersault senton. After a twisting press to the floor, Briscoe brings Mortos back into the ring and gets a two count with a lariat. Mortos pops Briscoe up into a Samoan Drop for a two count of his own. Briscoe blocks an Argentine backbreaker and looks for the Jay Driller again. Mortos escapes and successfully delivers the Argentine backbreaker for two. Briscoe avoids Destination Hellhole, which pinned him on Dynamite. Briscoe can’t lift him for the Cutthroat Driver, so he instead gives Mortos a rolling Death Valley Driver. Mortos evades the Froggy Bow and nails Briscoe with a running headbutt for two. Briscoe evades a tumbleweed senton and big boots Mortos when Mortos gets to his feet. The Froggy Bow lands on the second attempt but is only good for a one count. Briscoe rebounds off of the ropes with a lariat after a headbutt from Mortos. Briscoe then finally pulls off the Jay Driller on Mortos for the pin at 11:01. This was hard hitting and had a lot of momentum swings, which made for a compelling contest. Briscoe does the “wear a guy down until I can hit the Jay Driller” story very well. I also like that he threw in an instance of being unable to lift Mortos for the Cutthroat Driver in addition to the failed Jay Driller attempts to hammer that point home. These two are set to rematch in the 2024 Continental Classic, and if it’s as good as this, we’re in for a treat. ***½

ROH Pure Championship
Lee Moriarty vs. Angelico
ROH on HonorClub #79 – Arlington, TX – 8.29.2024

Moriarty has been champion since 7.26.2024 and this is his first defense. Angelico challenged Moriarty after he defeated Aaron Solo in a Pure Rules match last week. Shane Taylor is in Moriarty’s corner and Serpentico is in Angelico’s 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. Overhanded slaps and chops to the face are permitted. Punches to the rest 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.
*If the match goes past the undetermined time limit, three judges will determine the outcome. The judges for this match are ROH alumni and former champions Chistopher Daniels and Jerry Lynn, and ROH Board of Directors member Paul Wight.

Commentary spends time acknowledging that Angelico’s “maestro” was Negro Navarro from the Toryumon Mexcio and Lee Moriarty spent time under the tutelage of Jorge “Skayde” Rivera, different Lucha technicians that made them proficient in different techniques and submissions. After a pretty even opening, Moriarty drop toe holds Moriarty into a modified front face lock, with Moriarty’s leg still being trapped after the trip. Moriarty uses his first rope break to escape and gets some words from Shane Taylor before reentering the ring. Moriarty pulls down Angelico from a Cobra Twist into a Mouse Trap pin for two. Angelico removes his gloves as he eyeballs Moriarty. He does a little shimmy while he has Moriarty in a bow and arrow stretch. Moriarty rolls through a neck drag and also ducks a grounded enzuigiri. He converts from a schoolboy into the Border City Stretch, and Angelico uses his first rope break to escape. Moriarty adds insult to injury by kissing Angelico’s left hand as Angelico holds onto his left shoulder. Angelico kips up and rolls back to escape a shoulder hold. He goes through Moriarty’s leg and uses his leg to push Moriarty to the mat. Angelico applies a figure seven ankle lock until Moriarty uses his second rope break. Moriarty ankle picks Angelico, tripping him to the mat. Moriarty uses his foot to snap back Angelico’s shoulder and then hyperextends the left shoulder while kneeling on the right. He takes a page out of Nigel McGuiness’ book by bridging back on the left shoulder to apply more pressure. This results in Angelico using his second rope break. Moriarty snaps Angleico’s arm across the top rope. He shoulder tackles Angelico and puts him in a kimura lock. Angelico uses his third and final rope break to escape the hold. Angelico swipes Moriarty out of mid-air when he goes for a dropkick. Angelico aggressively applies the Navarro Death Roll, resulting Moriarty using his third and final rope break. As each of them go after their opponents respective injured body part, Moriarty hammerlocks Angelico’s arm, pushes him down into a cradle, sits on his legs and bridges back to pin Angelico at 12:10. Two great technical wrestlers having a technical wrestling match is extremely my shit. It’s a shame Angelico doesn’t get the chance to show off like this more often – he could be having bangers every week if the Pure division was more robust and had more focus. Their focus on a particular body part, as well as them being cocky towards one another, kept the crowd engaged. I think a stronger ending would’ve made this a better overall package, but it was still a real treat. ***¾

The first three weeks of September were quiet for ROH, but we ended the month with two title bouts in the Bay State:

ROH World Tag Team Championship – Bunkhouse Brawl
Dustin Rhodes & Sammy Guevara vs. The Undisputed Kingdom (Matt Taven & Mike Bennett)
AEW Collision #63 – Springfield, MA – 9.21.2024

Rhodes and Guevara have been champions since 8.16.2024 and this is their first defense. This match was put together last night on AEW Rampage. The champs are in appropriate bunkhouse attire of tank tops, jeans, and kneepads over the jeans. The Kingdom are in their typical attire, only white. There’s plunder all over the ring. Rhodes digs his father’s belt buckle into Bennett’s forehead. Guevara sends the Kingdom to the floor by beating them with a kendo stick, but when goes for a dive, he is cracked with a steel chair. Taven and Bennett then lay out Guevara with a Doomsday Device with Taven flying out of the ring. Rhodes fights with the Kingdom up the ramp where he bulldogs Taven off of the entrance stage and through two tables topped with barbed wire. Bennett throws Rhodes back in the ring, but as his back is turned, Guevara jumps up and surprises Bennett with an Ace Crusher off of the apron and through a table ringside! During the commercial break, a bloody Taven crawls back to ringside, as a busted open Rhodes recovers from being sent head first into a ring post by Bennettt. Guevara bashes Bennett with a trashcan to the head before setting up a ladder in the ring. Taven ends up pushing Guevara off of the ladder and he crashes through two tables ringside. The Kingdom try using Dusty Rhodes’ own belt against Dustin, but he grabs both of them by the groin before they can do so. Taven saves Bennett from taking a Cross Rhodes onto a chair, but ends up being snap slammed and suplexed onto the chair himself. Bennett gets revenge with a Death Valley Driver to Rhodes onto the chair. Taven uses Just The Tip to send the chair into Rhodes’ face. Guevara jumps in to save Rhodes from being pinned. Guevara also counters Taven’s Climax into the GTH. Rhodes wraps his boot in barbed wire before delivering the Unnatural Kick to Bennett. He then plants Bennett with the Final Reckoning and holds him in place with a kendo stick until Guevara is ready to land a Senton Atomico off of the ladder for the pin at 13:18. That was a hoot. It was sufficiently bloody and violent without being over the top, and further solidified Dustin and Guevara as a team. The Kingdom do not get enough credit for being big match players, so let me be the one to point out how they once again delivered in a tag title match on a relatively big stage. “If only we got more matches like this on actual ROH shows” is becoming my “Say the line, Bart” review ending, but I stand by it. ****

ROH Pure Championship
Lee Moriarty vs. Preston Vance
ROH on HonorClub #83 – Springfield, MA – 9.26.2024

Moriarty has been champion since 7.26.2024 and this is his second defense. Vance won two non-Pure Rules matches the prior two weeks to earn this shot, I guess. 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 the rest 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.
*If the match goes past the undetermined time limit, three judges will determine the outcome. The judges for this match are ROH alumni and former champions Chistopher Daniels, Jerry Lynn, and Jimmy Jacobs.

Vance shows either a lack of knowledge for the Pure rules, or simply just a lack of care for them, as he blasts Moriarty with a closed fist right in front of referee Stephon Smith. That earns Vance his first warning. Vance uses the ropes for a waistlock suplex and then throws Moriarty into the barricades thrice. Back in the ring, Moriaty cuts off Vance in the corner with a Complete Shot into the middle turnbuckle. When Moriarty starts manipulating his left arm, Vance puts his feet on the bottom rope and uses his first rope break. He uses his second rope quickly after when Moriarty tries wrapping his legs around Vance’s arm. Moriarty ducks a pump kick. He rolls Vance into a Border City Stretch attempt, but Vance powers him up and clotheslines him twice. Moriarty blocks a third but Vance takes him down with a diving shoulder tackle. Moriarty locks his fingers under his leg to prevent Vance from applying a full nelson. He pulls them to the ropes to use his first rope break to get Vance off of him, only for Vance to then knock him to the floor with a rolling clothesline. As Vance tries pulling Moriarty into the ring, Moriarty snaps Vance’s neck onto the top rope. Moriarty La Mistica’s Vance into a Magistral cradle for the pin at 7:01. It’s pretty sad watching this after the Angelico bout. From a hot, packed crowd to a nearly empty building. Vance’s style is really not befitting of the Pure style, and while there is a story to tell there, they never did anything beyond the closed fist at the beginning to convey that message. He just seemed like a fish out of water and below Moriarty’s skillset. It was fine for what it was, but nothing worth going out of your way to watch. **¼

The two tag title matches, Lee Moriarty vs. Angelico, Briscoe vs. Mortos, and Atlantis Jr. vs. Robbie Eagles are what I’d recommend from this batch of title bouts.