New York, NY – 12.20.2024

Commentary is provided by Ian Riccaboni & Caprice Coleman.

Zero Hour

The Dark Order (Alex Reynolds & John Silver) vs. Grizzled Young Veterans (James Drake & Zack Gibson)

Evil Uno is in the Dark Order’s corner. The GYV have been critical of the Dark Order not being serious enough, and maybe have gotten into Uno’s ear. Silver is nursing a torn hamstring, which is of course what the GYV target when they’re able to isolate Silver in their half of the ring. Silver escapes their grasp when he pulls off a Frankensteiner on Drake and fights through the pain to crawl to the corner and tag in Reynolds. Reynolds gets two with a Tiger Driver to Gibson. Reynolds also double stomps Gibson from a standing position and to the floor, and then delivers a brainbuster/spear combo to Drake with Silver on the floor. Reynolds gets caught on the top turnbuckle and gets wiped out with a Doomsday Device. Uno distracts the GYV and throws papers in Gibson’s face. Silver clotheslines Gibson to the floor. Silver and Reynolds throw an onslaught of offense to Drake, only for Givson to pull Reynolds crotch first into the ring post to save his partner from being pinned. Silver’s leg buckles as he hops off of the top rope after attacking GYV on the floor. GYV pounce on Silver with Grit Your Teeth for the pin at 11:28. A high energy match with a simple story was a good way to start the event. This rivalry had enough weekly TV time to justify being on the main card, and actually could’ve been a great way to open the show proper. I sure hope people remember how good Reynolds and Silver are as a tandem. ***

HANAKO vs. Harley Cameron

HANAKO is part of the Empress Nexus Venus faction in STARDOM with Mina Shirakawa. HANAKO’s size advantage served her well in overpowering her opponent. Cameron side steps an attack into the steps, sending HANAKO crashing into them. HANAKO cuts off Cameron’s offensive stride with a Samoan Drop. HANAKO gives her two big corner splashes and a standing frog splash for two. Cameron cuts off HANAKO as she’s hanging in a tree of woe with a kick to the face. HANAKO kicks out of Cameron’s Shining Wizard. HANAKO then catches her coming off of the ropes into a backbreaker. HANAKO gives Cameron a torture rack facebuster for the pin at 7:23. These two are still relatively new and just didn’t work the best together. HANAKO crushing Cameron and being a challenger for either Women’s title would have been cool. *½

The Undisputed Kingdom (Matt Taven & Mike Bennett) vs. The Infantry (Carlie Bravo & Shawn Dean)

Shane Taylor and Trish Adora is in the Infantry’s corner. These teams have wrestled quite a few times, but the roles of fan favorite and rule breakers have been reversed. The Infantry attack the Kingdom before the bell. Taven saves Bennett from a two-on-one beatdown with the Flight of the Conqueror. They make Taven pay with stereo kicks to the side of his head while Adora and Taylor keep Bennett busy. When Bennett does get a tag, Adora has referee Stephon Smith tied up so that he misses it and enforces Taven as the legal man. Taven does escape on his own with a superkick to Bravo and rolling under Dean and tagging in Bennett for good. He unloads with chops to both Infantry members in the corner and drills Dean with a spinebuster. Bennett then slams Bravo onto Dean with a Death Valley Driver. Dean reverses an Irish Whip to the corner. Bravo haymakers him in the corner and then passes him to Dean for a flying clothesline. They also drop Bennett with a tandem uranage for two. Bennett escapes Boot Camp and tags Taven back in. He takes out Dean with a rolling neckbreaker and Bravo with the Kick of the King. Just The Tip and a piledriver get the Kingdom a two count on Bravo. When the Kingdom has him set up for Hail Mary. Taylor hops on the apron to distract Smith. Adora crotches Taven on the top turnbuckle. The Infantry lay out Bennett with Boot Camp and are shocked to only get a two count. Taven trips Bravo and crotches him on the ring post. Bennett and Taven bust out the Rockstar Supernova on Dean for the pin at 9:50. I was not thrilled to see these two teams put together again so soon, but the switch of dynamics freshened things up. I’m just a little puzzled as to why the Infantry lost. Probably because the Kingdom are turning on Adam Cole in AEW next weekend and we can’t have them lose before that. A good match, but probably too long (two heat segments? why?) ***¼

LEEJ (Lee Johnson & EJ Nduka) vs. Gates Of Agony (Bishop Kaun & Toa Liona)

I don’t have anything against Nduka, but it makes me very sad that Johnson went from looking like a potential breakthrough ROH star to being in an unremarkable tag team. Kaun gives Johnson a backbreaker onto the top turnbuckle. Liona then senton splashes Johnson on the ring apron and overhead suplexes him onto the floor. Johnson is beat down by the Gates of Agony for a while, and eventually dropkicks Kaun and tags in Nduka. Nduka and Liona slug it out, going strike for strike until Nduka takes him down with a flying clothesline. Liona responds with a discus clothesline. Nduka spears Liona for two. Liona superkicks Johnson when he starts to assist Nduka. A double Death Valley Driver from GoA get them a two count. Liona drops Nduka with a Samoan Drop and hip attacks him into the ring steps. Johnson fights off the GoA on his own. He lands a tope con hilo on Liona/ When he tries a flying headscissors to Kaun, Kaun instead powerbombs him onto the steel steps. Johnson kicks out of Open The Gates, but the T-Gimmick gets them the pin at 10:23. A bit surprised to see the new team take the L. This was solid but sloppy at points. Unfortunately I just don’t think the fans are really into any of these guys. Nduka and Johnson attacked the GoA after the bout and got booed for it, so that’s another tag match with a dynamic change. Weak ending to the Zero Hour. **½

Main Show

Atlantis Jr. vs. Mansoor

Mason Madden is in Mansoor’s corner. Atlantis probably could have been in the TV Title match later tonight along with the other people Brian Cage have previously defeated. Mansoor shows up the luchador with a barrage of different armdrags. Atlantis dizzies him with a headscissors and schoolboy before applying a modified Trailer Hitch. Mansoor overhand chops Atlantis and then grabs the ropes to escape. Madden interjects so that Mansoor can take back over with a slingshot neckbreaker and Falcon Arrow for two. Atlantis stops Mansoor mid up-and-over with a kick to the chest. Three backbreakers follow, leading to Atlantis pulling Mansoor over into a modified crucifix driver for two. Another distraction from Madden, however, gives Mansoor the opportunity to superplex Atlantis. Mansoor misses a follow up moonsault, but does muscle Atlantis onto his shoulders and drives him into the corner with a Death Valley Driver. Mansoor lands the moonsault for two. Atlantis comes back with a German suplex and then a wheelbarrow suplex that sends Mansoor crashing into the corner. Mansoor gets his knees up to block a frog splash. Mansoor tries a springboard off of the middle rope. Atlantis cuts him off mid-air with an Ace Crusher and Mansoor gets his foot on the bottom rope to break the pin. Atlantis gamengiri’s Madden to block his chokeslam attempt. Danhausen appears from under the ring and punches Madden in the ding ding. Atlantis takes out MxM with a dive and then lands his frog splash onto Mansoor back in the ring at 12:05. This match being added last minute makes more sense when you realize it was designed just for Danhausen’s return. The match was pretty good overall. You don’t get to see Mansoor wrestle long singles matches anymore. I’m glad Atlantis didn’t totally disappear after losing the TV title. ***

Backstage, Lexy Nair interviews Chris Jericho. He tells the exact same Sbarro joke Steve Carrel did almost twenty years ago on The Office. He does some unfunny comedy getting stuff wrong about New York City despite claiming to be the king of New York.

Katsuyori Shibata vs. Tommy Billington

Billington is the son of the Dynamite Kid, and this is his ROH debut. Billington runs to the ropes to escape a waistlock, sending Shibata tumbling to the floor. Billington takes out Shibata with a suicide diving headbutt. Shibata responds with a yakuza kick to send Billington off the apron and crashing to the floor. Shibata ends an even exchange back in the ring with an STO. A hesitation dropkick and suplex leads to a cross armbreaker. Billington gets the ropes and cuts off Shibata with a shotgun dropkick. After a snap suplex, Billington top rope dropkicks Shibata to the apron and Flying DDT’s Shibata onto the edge of the ring. Shibata kicks out of a diving headbutt back in the ring. He open hand strikes Billington in the mid-section before applying a sleeper hold, adding a bodyscissors. He pulls Billington down to the mat and he submits at 9:50. This was a really good, basic wrestling match, a match that feels like the backbone of ROH was built upon. It’s unfortunate that it doesn’t feel as if this will lead to anything, and I’d also be glad if I was wrong. ***

Jay Lethal vs. QT Marshall

This “issue” began with Marshall interrupting Jay Lethal’s commercial for his Black Machismo action figure on Ringside Collectibles. He mocked Lethal in an nWo style promo dressed as nWo Macho Man and also came out for the match dressed in that attire. Aaron Solo and a woman cosplaying as Miss Elizabeth are in Marshall’s corner. Lethal came out dressed as Black Machismo, with Sonjay Dutt and Karen Jarrett dressed as Sensational Sherri in his corner. Marshall attacked Lethal’s throat, perhaps an homage to the Savage/Steamboat rivalry. Lethal ducks a back handspring enzuigiri and pops Marshall up into a neckbreaker for two. Lethal puts Marshall in a figure gour leg lock. When Solo looks to break it up, Sonjay tackles him and puts on his own figure four. Marshall pokes Lethal’s eyes to escape the hold and also drops Dutt with a Diamond Cutter. Lethal cuts him off with the Lethal Combination. Solo crotches Lethal on the top rope when Lethal looks for Hail To The King. Jeff Jarrett makes his way out when Solo puts his hands on Karen. Jarrett clobbers Solo with a guitar. Lethal hits Hail to the King and Marshall kicks out. Marshall also blocks a Lethal Injection and delivers a Cross Rhodes for two. Lethal blocks the Diamond Cutter. He catches Marshall coming off the middle rope with his own Diamond Cutter. Marshall ducks the Lethal Injection and hits it himself for two. Lethal maneuvers Marshall into a Lethal Injection to end an exchange, and then hits it a second time for the pin at 12:44. Not a good sign that Jarrett showing up got the loudest reaction. The crowd also got into the nearfalls but you could tell they stopped caring once they stopped playing into the Savage cosplay aspect of the bout. This would’ve been better suited for an AEW show. **½

ROH Women’s World Television Title Match
Red Velvet vs. Leyla Hirsch

Red Velvet has been champion since 7.26.2024 and this is her third defense. Velvet wheelbarrows Hirsch throat first onto the middle rope and then drives her knees into Hirsch’s shoulders. Hirsch attempts to knee strike Velvet, but Velvet evades it and kicks Hirsch in her previously injured elbow. Velvet stalks Hirsch as the official and ringside doctor check on her. Velvet stomps Hirsch down in the corner and chokes her with her boot while doing the splits. Hirsch shotgun dropkicks Velvet across the ring and hops off the middle rope for a seated shotgun dropkick. Velvet rolls through a Saito suplex and spears Hirsch for two. Hirsch wipes Velvet shoulder first into the canvas. She attacks Velvet’s left arm, looking to put them on more even footing. A pair of German suplexes gets the challenger a two count. Velvet alts Hirsch with a drop toe hold onto the rope. When she goes for another neck attack, Hirsch this time catches her and plants her with a powerbomb. Hirsch then hops up the ropes and lands a moonsault. Velvet grabs the bottom rope to kick out, and Hirsch kicks the elbow of her extended arm. Velvet is able to sneak in a couple of sunset flips, but after the second, Hirsch knee strikes Velvet in the face. When Velvet tries another schoolboy, Hirsch pulls her into a triangle choke attempt. Velvet muscles Hirsch up into a low powerbomb to escape and then roundhouse kicks Hirsch. This time its Hirsch who grabs the bottom rope and gets her arm kicked. Velvet knocks out Hirsch with a forearm strike. She wants her standing Blockbuster, but Hirsch counters that into a Snake Eyes. Velvet tornado kicks Hirsch for two. Velvet brings out a turnbuckle from under the ring and into the ring. As Paul Turner is disposing of it, Velvet pulls a wrench out of her trunks and hits Hirsch with it for the pin at 11:58. That ending was so tonally off compared to the rest of the match. I was actually thinking this had more or less saved the show, but that ruined it for me. If this ended a different way it’d have been the match of the night so far. Maybe this pays off down the line, but it seems like we keep delaying Hirsch’s rise to the top of the division for who knows what reason. ***¼

ROH Pure Championship
Lee Moriarty vs. Nigel McGuinness

Moriarty has been champion since 7.26.2024 and this is his fourth defense. McGuinness is answering Moriarty’s Open Challenge. So THAT’S why they didn’t save Moriarty vs. Taven for this show. Nigel of course holds the longest single Pure Championship reign at 350 days. There’s an inexplicable exchange between Nigel and Taylor where Nigel says it looks like Shane Taylor eats pussy and also Moriarty’s butthole. Nigel also says he wants it under old school Pure Rules. 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.
*The title can change hands on a count out and disqualification in addition to a pinfall.
*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.
*The judges for this match were ROH alumni and former champions Chistopher Daniels, Rocky Romero and Jerry Lynn. Nigel excuses them from ringside, as there were no judges.

McGuinness thinks twice about grabbing the ropes to break a hammerlock. He instead turns it into a waistlock and forces Moriarty to spend his first rope break. McGuinness fakes taking a closed-fist after forcing Moriarty into the ropes to use his second rope break. Referee Mike Posey buys it and issues Moriarty a warning. Shane Taylor on the microphone says he’s had enough of Nigel’s shenanigans and demands a second referee be ringside. Paul Turner obliges. McGuinness wears down Moriarty’s arm, looking like he wants the London Dungeon. Moriarty gets McGuinness in the Border City Stretch and McGuinness uses his first rope break to escape. McGuinness shoves Moriarty into Taylor on the floor hoping to get a count out victory, but Moriarty gets in before the ten count (wait, not twenty?) Moriarty escapes the Tower of London and blasts McGuinness with a diving uppercut across the ring. McGuinness uppercuts Moriarty as Moriarty climbs the ropes. He pulls him down with the Tower of London for two. Moriarty ducks the Jawbreaker Lariat. He gets McGuinness back in the Border City Stretch and McGuinness uses his second rope break to escape. Moriarty kicks McGuinness off of the top turnbuckle to block his headstand kick. He forces McGuinness to use his third and final rope break with another Border City Stretch. Paul Turner catches Moriarty grabbing the ropes during a pin. Moriarty protests, and ends up taking the Jawbreaker Lariat for two. McGuinness also gets two with a ripcord lariat. McGuinness hits the Tower of London. Mike Posey counted three because he did not see Moriarty’s foot on the rope. Paul Turner did and informs Posey, so the match continues and Moriarty’s final rope break is gone. The two men get into an uppercut battle which McGuinness of course wins. Moriarty blocks an uppercut and backslides McGuinness into a London Dungeon attempt. When McGuinness blocks that, Moriarty delivers his own rebound lariat and reapplies the Border City Stretch. McGuinness cradles Moriarty to force Moriarty to release the hold. Fang gets Moriarty a two count, and he puts the Border City Stretch back on. Moriarty places his feet on the bottom rope to extend the stretch, and McGuinness taps out at 17:05. Nigel was known for exploiting the Pure Rules to his advantage during his reign, and seeing Moriarty defeat him by doing the same thing was really cool. It’s a win that hopefully solidifies Moriarty at the top of the ROH food chain. The opening promo threw off the vibe for me, but by the end my palette had been cleansed. ***½

ROH World Tag Team Championship – Double Texas Bullrope Match
The Sons of Texas (Dustin Rhodes & Sammy Guevara) vs. The Righteous (Vincent & Dutch)

Rhodes and Guevara have been champions since 8.16.2024 and this is their second defense. Vincent believes they should have been tag team champions a long time ago. Dutch taunted Dustin with a bullrope for the past month or so, stating that Dusty Rhodes gifted him the bullrope during his time with FCW. The Righteous also attacked and bloodied Dustin at his wrestling school. Dutch is wearing a white entrance robe, similar to what Dusty would wear at Madison Square Garden and the style of robe Goldust would wear. Guevara has half of his face painted like Dustin, and they are in bunkhouse style attire. There’s a lot of brawling before they are tied at the wrist and the match officially begins (Dustin tied to Dutch and Vincent tied to Sammy.) Vincent pulls Sammy throat first into the top rope as Dustin wallops Dutch on the back with a chair. Dustin and Dutch fight up the ramp where Dutch gives Dustin a Boss Man Slam. Dutch pulls out a barbed wire table and brings it ringside. Unfortunately for Dutch, Dustin ends up pushing off of the middle turnbuckle and through it. Vincent drops Guevara with Orange Sunshine on the floor. He then pulls out a pair of scissors from under the ring and frees himself from being tied to Sammy. He chokes Dustin with the cowbell. The referee is about to call for the bell as Dustin was passed out when Sammy jumped onto Vincent, saving his partner. Back on the floor, Guevara blocks Orange Sunshine when Vincent tries it again, and instead takes out Vincent with a springback Ace Crusher. Guevara pulls out a table and ladder from underneath the ring. Guevara misses a Swanton off of the ladder and crashes and burns through the table. Dutch clobbers Dustin with the cowbell and Vincent pins him for two. Dustin tries to fire up, but Dutch assists with an Orange Sunshine to shut him down. Guevara once again saves his partner, jumping in to break Vincent’s pin just before the three count. Guevara crossbody’s Vincent and himself to the floor. Dustin gives Dutch a Destroyer. Guevara on the floor takes out Vincent with GTH. Guevara passes Dutch’s bell from Dusty to Dustin. Dustin blasts Dutch in the head with the bell for the pin at 15:33. That was about as good and emotional of a Texas Bull Rope match you can have without a drop of blood. The Sons of Texas have turned into quite a good team, and the Righteous are ROH stalwarts who should get more love. I really wanted them to win the titles here, but I can’t deny the pay off of Dustin getting his retribution was also satisfactory. ***½

ROH World Television Championship – 2024 Survival of the Fittest Match
Brian Cage vs. AR Fox vs. Blake Christian vs. Komander vs. Mark Davis vs. Willie Mack

Cage has been champion since 10.12.2024 and this is his third defense. Alex Abrahantes is in Komander’s corner. This officially makes it so that SOTF is no longer a tournament, but just branding for a six way elimination match. Stinky! Cage has defeated Fox and Komander in a singles match during this TV title reign. Cage also has defeated Christian twice in six man tag team matches, and defeated Mack on Episode 14 in a singles match and Episode 30 in a Six Man Tag Title match. He’s recently been feuding with Mark Davis, and in fact, he won a tag team match against Davis two days earlier (but aired on the same night). The first elimination occurred when Cage turned Mack inside out with a discus lariat at 9:32. The crowd was going wild for Mack, who laid out everyone in the match with stunners in various manners, only for Cage to spoil the fun. Cage would then pin AR Fox with a super Liger Bomb at 13:27. Fox came close to pinning Komander with a 450 Splash. When he went for it again, Cage re-entered the fray and Fox’s focus shifted. Just as it appeared like he was going to deliver the Lo Mein Pain to the champ, Cage muscled him into his own downfall. Cage planted both Komander and Christian with F-5’s when Davis went for a small package. Cage kicked out of that, so Davis blindsided him with a lariat. A piledriver then led to Davis eliminating the champion at 16:38. As soon Davis stood up, he was met with a low blow from Christian. Christian rolled up Davis and eliminated him at 17:02, greatly angering the crowd. Komander was the runner-up of last year’s Survival of the Fittest elimination match, and he found himself in the same position again tonight. Christian jammed both of Komander’s knees into the mat to try and halt his high risk offense. He also pushed Komander off of the turnbuckles and to the floor, which likely also hurt his ankles. Christian charged Komander into the barricades. Komander avoided a 450 splash and kicked out of a standing Spanish Fly back in the ring. Komander spiked Christian with a super reverse Frankensteiner and followed him to the floor with a rope walk floating Fosbury Flop. Christian kicks the referee into the ropes to trip Komander’s second rope walk. Christian then curb stomped Komander for a nearfall. Christian side suplexed Komander from the second rope, but Komander turned Christian’s nonchalant pin into a pin of his own. Komander spiked Christian with a springboard Destroyer. A tiger feint kick and rope walk moonsault gets Christian the pin at 25:19. This was a lot like last year’s match, in that it was a super fun spot fest until the last two competitors, and then it became an emotional rollercoaster. This time, the hero got the victory. I was fairly certain Christian was going to win with this presumed ROH/GCW partnership, but this Komander victory was so much more gratifying. He could be a really fun champion if given the chance to do it. ****

A video airs of SHO and Yoshinobu Kanemaru from New Japan stating they will challenge the Sons of Texas at Wrestle Dynasty. That’s neat!

ROH World Championship
Chris Jericho vs. Matt Cardona

Jericho has been champion since 10.23.2024 and this is his second defense. Jericho proclaimed himself to be the King of New York when Final Battle was announced and challenged any New Yorker to face him for the title. Long Island native Cardona answered the challenge. En route to this bout, he defeated Bryan Keith on Collision, who is in Jericho’s corner for this match. It is worth mentioning that GCW is running Hammerstein next month, Cardona has been heavily involved with GCW since 2021, and that GCW owner Brett Lauderdale is in the crowd. Jericho refused to shake hands, so Cardona immediately hit him with Radio Silence for two. He delivers one ReBoot, but Keith pulls Jericho out of the ring before he can deliver a second. Cardona tope con hilo’s onto both Keith and Jericho in response. Cardona’s Dad pie faces Jericho from ringside before Cardona sends him into the steel steps. Jericho backdrops Cardona onto the entrance stage, leaving Cardona to crawl to the ring and pull himself in just before the twenty count. Jericho whips Cardona sternum first into the corner and Keith gets in some cheap shots on the floor. Jericho pie faces Cardona’s Dad and then sends Cardona into the ring steps, exacting revenge from earlier. He adds a backdrop onto the steps as well. Cardona cuts off Jericho with a forearm strike and missile dropkicks him for two. Jericho lands the lionsault after avoiding a dropkick. The crowd rallies behind Cardona, who ascends to the top turnbuckle. Jericho follows him up and brings him down with a superplex. Cardona fires up and gives Jericho a Tiger Driver for two. Jericho cuts off Cardona with a Code Breaker for two. Bryan Keith grabs the World Title and jumps on the apron. Cardona ends up side stepping a sneak attack from Jericho and rolling him up for two. Jericho blocks Radio Silence and puts Cardona in the Walls of Jericho until he gets the ropes. Jericho has referee Paul Turner distracted enough for Big Bill to big boot Cardona from the floor. It only results in a two count, so Jericho tries the Judas Effect. Cardona ducks and gives Jericho his own Code Breaker for two. Cardona lands Radio Silence off of the second rope. Bill distracts Turner while BRyan Keith hits Cardona with the title belt from behind. Jericho pins Cardona at 18:28. That was a wack ass finish to a wack ass match. Jericho moved through molasses and just meandered through the match. BROSKI put his all into it, but his efforts did not negate Jericho’s half-hearted effort. Ugh. This wasn’t as bad as I thought, but still pretty stinky. Thank God this wasn’t the main event. **¼

Bill and Keith continue to beat down Cardona after the match until Bandido makes his long awaited return and cleans house. Remember when Bandido was champion? I miss those days.

ROH Women’s World Championship
Athena vs. Billie Starkz

Athena has been the champion since 12.10.2022 and this is her twenty-fifth defense. This is a rematch from last year’s Final Battle. After that match, Starkz was under Athena’s tutelage as her “minion.” The relationship was very one-sided and reached a boiling point when Athena cost Billie a chance to compete in the Tokyo Dome last week. Billie finally had enough of Athena’s nonsense and challenged her to this match. Billie comes to the ring wearing Sumie Sakai’s gear. Sakai was one of the first women to ever wrestle in ROH, the first Women of Honor champion, and will be retiring on January 11th at NJPW’s Battle In The Valley. Athena is in Two-Face cosplay.

Athena is relentless with her offense right from the start. Starkz keeps in step with the champion, but Athena kicks her in the chest as she tries an up and over and plants her with a rolling Death Valley Driver. Starkz cuts her off with an enzuigiri out of the corner. Athena blocks her roundhouse kick and puts on a Stretch Muffler. Athena continues her beatdown after the hold is release, and when Starkz goes back to the corner, she wraps her leg in the ropes and repeatedly kicks at it. Starkz moves out of the way of double knees against the ring steps. Starkz then plants Athena face first into the steps with a Complete Shot. When Starkz charges at her again, Athena cuts her off with a pop-up powerbomb. When Athena looks to wrap Starkz’s legs around the ring post, Starkz pulls Athena face first into the post to block it. Starkz also spikes Athena with a DDT as she is entering the ring. Starks drives Athena into the mat with double knees and then spikes her with Sumie’s finishing move Smash Mouse for two. Starkz also gets two with an Ushigoroshi. Athena halts Starkz on the top turnbuckle and brings her down with a super fallaway slam for two. Athena also gets two with a springboard twisting crossbody. Starkz muscles up Athena to block a powerbomb. Athena grabs the top rope and rolls Starkz back onto her shoulders and into Despicable Knee for two. Athena situates herself for the O-Face. Starkz catches it and German suplexes Athena. Athena responds with a Saito suplex. Starkz withstands some forearm strikes and a savate kick. She then reverses a tombstone piledriver into one of her own. Athena rolls to the apron after kicking out. Starkz follows and Athena pulls her throat first into the top turnbuckle. Starkz manages to waterwheel slam Athena on the ring apron. She decides to take the risk and it pays off with a Swanton Bomb onto the floor. She immediately brings Athena into the ring and plants her with the Star 10 for two. Athena deposits Starkz over the top rope and to the floor. She laughs in glee at seeing Starkz being helped to her feet by the referee. Athena suicide dives onto both Starkz and referee Mike Posey. She has Lexy Nair had her a microphone. Starkz kicks it out of Athena’s hand before she can hit her with it. Starkz plants Athena with a Cube Driver and is in disbelief when it doesnt get the pin. Athena rips a turnbuckle pad out of the corner, unbeknownst to Starkz and the referee. Starkz gets tripped face first into the buckle. Athena flips off the crowd before spiking Starkz with the O-Face for the pin at 25:35. I had a hunch when Athena was picked to represent ROH at the Tokyo Dome that this would be the outcome. I still think it was the wrong move. Billie was ready for it last year and also was this year, but the big difference is this felt like a missed moment. It was a much smaller version of Cody losing to Roman only to win a year later, except Cody lost again tonight. The match was fun and the fans really wanted to see a title change and when they didn’t get it, the room deflated. I really don’t know what Athena does next and I doubt they have any plans for her too. ***¾

The only match worth going out of your way to watch is the Men’s TV title bout. Most of these matches disappointed or were good until the ending. This was easily my least enjoyed ROH PPV of the TK era. I don’t know what we’re doing.