Philadelphia, PA – 8.29.2025

Commentary is provided by Ian Riccaboni & Caprice Coleman.

Zero Hour

Jay Lethal vs. Jordan Oliver

Oliver recently made his ROH debut in a losing effort to Hechicero. He cut his teeth in the New Jersey/Philadelphia area. He’s held the GCW Tag Titles twice, including once with the current ROH World TV Champion Nick Wayne. Lethal takes Oliver lightly, busting out a Fargo Strut. Oliver impresses by cutting Lethal off in mid-air with a side slam, and Lethal’s attitude adjusts accordingly. When he does a Fargo strut on the apron, it’s to bait Oliver into a slingshot sunset flip. When he tries for the figure four leg lock, Oliver counters into a cradle, and Oliver also kneels on Lethal when he goes for a dragonscrew leg whip. Oliver kicks Lethal in the back to block a Lethal Injection and German suplexes the former World champion for two. Lethal backdrops his way out of an Acid Bomb and uses the time to catch his breath. Lethal is able to drop Oliver off of the top turnbuckle when Oliver pursues him. When he goes for Hail tot he King, Oliver catches Lethal into a crucifix pin. After Lethal kicks out, Lethal quickly dragonscrew leg whips Oliver twice and puts him in a figure four leg lock. Oliver taps out at 6:59.Oliver did his homework and was able to counter a lot of Lethal’s key offense, and it forced Lethal to get more aggressive to be victorious. That’s how you get someone over in a loss. We have two PPV’s in a row where Lethal makes an up-and-comer look good on the Zero Hour. That’s a good use of him. ***

Lexy Nair interviews Marshall & Ross Von Erich, along with Sammy Guevara. They say they plan to make Dustin Rhodes proud by reclaiming the gold they won with him by their side. Guevara says it was an honor to team with a legend like Dusitn, and it’s an honor to team with the Von Erichs too. The Von Erichs say they aren’t taking Shane Taylor Promotions lightly. Guevara says he has to “break the walls down” in determining his tag partner tonight, and that he’s narrowed his choices down to two picks.

The Dark Order (Alex Reynolds & John Silver) vs. The Frat House (Cole Karter & Griff Garrison) vs. MxM Collection (Mansoor & Mason Madden)

Johnny TV and Taya Valkyrie are in MxM Collection’s corner, Jacked Jameson and some pledges are in The Frat House’s corner, and Evil Uno is in The Dark Order’s corner. Silver is wearing a Mikey Whipwreck shirt, a tribute to his trainer. The MxM Collection disrespect the shirt before the bell rings. Silver takes out all of the pledges with clothesliens at one point in the match, but the large Madden proves to be a problem. Mansoor grabs Silver’s leg when Silver hits the ropes to get some power behind him, and walks into a standing side kick from Madden. The Frat House assist MxM with their beatdown on the Meat Man. Things go sideways when the MxM use Jacked Jameson’s own initiation paddle on him. Garrison gets upset and turns around into an enzuigiri from Silver. Reynolds tags in and immediately suicide dives onto MxM. Reynolds also takes out Karter and Garrison on his own. He puts Garrison in a Cobra Twist, which Madden breaks with a goozle. Reynolds knocks him down with a clothesline and then boots him to the floor. Mansoor blind tags in on Garrison and surprises Reynolds with a Blockbuster. Reynolds kicks out of a modified slam from Madden. Garrison boots Mansoor into a facebuster from Karter. Silver gives The Frat House a double standing shiranui and impresses with a torture rack bomb on Madden. Uno prevents Jameson from interfering, but Valkyrie distracts referee Mike Posey long enough for TV to spray the MxM “Seed” cologne into Reynolds’ eyes. With Reynolds blinded, Mansoor pins him at 7:41. This was a fun, chaotic bout. The ending was cheap but fine given the mood of the bout. I’m a sucker for Arrogance style gimmicks. **¾

Lexy Nair congratulates Jay Lethal on his win in this historic building. Lethal says he knows this building is historic, and tonight was the start of him building momentum. Blake Christian and Lee Johnson interrupt him. Christian reminds Lethal that he defeated him at Supercard of Honor, and tells Lethal to keep an eye on their match against the Kingdom tonight. He says Lethal has never won the Six Man Tag Team titles too, perhaps hinting at a future triumvirate. We see footage of QT Marshall and Paul Walter Hauser entering the building. Each of them trash talk the other and claim that they’ll hurt the other tonight.

Pure Rules Match
Billie Starkz vs. Ashley Vox

This a preview match for the ROH Women’s Pure Title tournament that starts tonight. It has a 10:00 time limit. Starkz faces CMLL’s Olympia in the opening round. Vox is not in the tournament, but did face Deonna Purrazzo, another tournament competitor, in a Pure Rules match back in May. 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 evening are Christopher Daniels, Dean Malenko and Jerry Lynn, who are watching from the back.

Starkz disrespects Vox by sitting on her back after taking her down to her knees. Vox makes her pay with a high Octopus Stretch. Starkz falls into the ropes, using her first rope break to escape. Starkz also kicks out of a Chaos Theory. She catches Vox coming off of the ropes and waterwheel slams her into the corner. Starkz stomps her down in the corner, lightly shoving referee Paul Turner before blasting Vox with a running knee to the face. Starkz grinds her forearms into Vox’s face in the corner. Starkz side steps a corner attack and spikes Vox with a step-up satellite DDT. Starkz crashes and burns on a Swanton attempt. Vox uses the ropes to slingshot in with a neck-tie headscissors. She fishhooks Starkz, forcing her to use her second rope break. Starkz blindsides Vox with a closed fist punch, earning her a warning. Starkz roundhouse kicks Vox before giving her an Ushigoroshi for the pin at 6:24. A solid showing for Starkz to get her momentum heading into the tournament. It sucks Vox is just fodder, as she would be so great in the actual tournament. **½

$50,000 Dollar Challenge
Adam Priest vs. Angelico vs. AR Fox vs. Dralistico

Serpentico is in Angelico’s corner. Fox won the 50k challenge match at Supercard of Honor last month, which Priest was also involved. Dralistico and Priest strategically exit and let Angelico and Fox go at it. Dralistico only jumps in when Angelico has Fox in a submission, making sure he does not submit. Priest jumps in with a chop to Angelico. Priest and Dralistico gang up on Angelico until they get in an argument over who is going to charge him in the corner. Fox takes out Dralistico with a skin the cat dropkick and then a roll-up Ace Crusher to Priest. Lethal sends them to the floor with a London Bridge and double Ace Crusher. The Philly crowd is fully behind Fox as he dives onto both of them on opposite sides of the ring. When he crosses Angelico on the floor, he drops him with an Ace Crusher too. He lands a leg drop from the guardrail onto Angelico on the ring’s frame! Priest attacks Fox when he has Dralistico on the top turnbuckle. He takes them both down but fails to pin either. Dralistico gives Priest a spinebuster out of the corner and crushes him with a somersault senton for two. Fox and Dralistico get in an overhand chop battle that ends with a springboard destroyer from Dralistico. Angelico breaks the pin and also pitches Priest to the floor. Dralistico German suplexes Angelico and cracks him with a tornado enzuigiri. He kicks Serpentico before coming off the top with a flying lung blower to Angelico for the pin at 8:28. This was an AR Fox showcase. The crowd was molten hot for him on offense, and it was a bit surprising he didn’t win a second time. Dralistico was a good choice, though, he and LFI seem to be getting back into regular ROH rotation and course use some momentum. A little disorderly at times but very fun. ***

Main Show

The Conglomeration (Hologram & Tomohiro Ishii) vs. The Premier Athletes (Tony Nese & Ariya Daivari)

“Smart” Mark Sterling is in the Athletes’ corner. Daivari’s strikes have no effect on Ishii. The Stone Pitbull simply shoulder blocks him to end his offensive stride. He and Hologram double team Daivari, ending with a standing moonsault from Hologram. Nese keeps in pace with Hologram but can’t keep him down. Hologram impressively takes out Nese with a moonsault press. Sterling is so bothered he distracts Hologram on the second rope. Nese cuts out Hologram’s legs and Daivari hits a flying carpet splash behind the referee’s back. Sterling also chokes Hologram on the middle rope as the Premier Athletes beat him down. Hologram evades a double suplex and rolls off of the Premier Athletes back to tag Ishii back in. Ishii mows them down with running shoulder blocks and gives Nese a brainbuster. Ishii Saito suplexes him for two, thanks to Daivari breaking up the cover. Hologram comes in when the Premier Athletes begin to double team Ishii. The Conglomeration pulls off double German suplexes on the Athlets. Hologram enzuigiri’s Nese into Ishii’s arms. A crossbody/suplex combo gets the Conglomeration two on Nese. The Athletes unload a barrage of kicks on Ishii, sending him to the floor. Daivari maneuvers Hologram into a pump-handle sit-out piledriver for two. Sterling hops to the apron and Hologram uses him to push off for a headscissors to Nese! Hologram knocks Daivari into Sterling, both go to the floor, and Hologram dives after them. He also suicide dives onto Nese. Ishii turns Nese inside out with a lariat back in the ring. Hologram spinwheel kicks Nese into a brainbuster from Ishii for the pin at 12:33. This went a few minutes heavy. Had they kept this a tight eight they would’ve peaked. It was still a good time, it just overstayed its welcome for a match that doesn’t really have much bearing on future ROH happenings. ***

ROH World Six Man Tag Team Championship Match
The Sons Of Texas (Sammy Guevara, Marshall von Erich & Ross von Erich) vs. Shane Taylor Promotions (Shane Taylor, Carlie Bravo & Shawn Dean

Due to undergoing double knee surgery, Dustin Rhodes could not defend the six man tag titles, and Tony Khan declared the titles vacant. Dustin’s partners, The Von Erichs, were able to choose a new partner in an attempt to re-capture the titles. They chose their other Sons of Texas partner, Sammy Guevara, as their new partner. Trish Adora and Anthony Ogogo are in STP’s corner. Guevara unwisely cheap shots Dean to start and ends up mauled by the very popular STP. The Von Erichs take them out with dropkicks. While the crowd is respectful to them, Guevara embraces the hate of the Philly faithful. STP takes back control with a chest first slam from Dean, a double axe handle from Bravo, and a legdrop to Ross on the ring apron from Taylor. STP pummel Ross in their corner to the delight of the crowd until he manages to escape their grasp and tag in Marshall. Marshall wipes out the Infantry with spinebusters and surprises Taylor with a bodyslam. Marshall also lands a moonsault for two. He puts on an Iron Claw briefly, with Carlie breaking it up right away. Taylor headbutts Guevara to cut off his GTS attempt. Taylor splashes onto Marshall and Dean follows with a saluting Superfly splash. Ross breaks up the pin just in time. He is thrown into the ring steps by Taylor. Marshall turns Dean inside out with a rolling lariat. Guevara comes in with a high crossbody to the Infantry. He takes down Dean with a springboard Ace Crusher, but accidentally wipes out Marshall with a Fosbury Flop. Back in the ring, the Infantry take down Guevara with a neckbreaker/back suplex combo. Taylor haymakers him into the Infantry’s double curb stomp for the pin at 12:52. The match was rock solid, but was augmented greatly by the crowd. It’s about time the Infantry got some recognition, and hopefully this means these titles are defended with regularity again. Good on the Von Erich’s for fighting through the jeers. It’s a shame they didn’t get to finish their reign “the right way” with Dustin but their contributions are appreciated nonetheless. ***¼

ROH Women’s World Pure Title Tournament Quarterfinal Round Match
Queen Aminata vs. Taya Valkyrie

These two also met in the quarterfinals of the Women’s TV title tournament, in which Aminata was victorious. Scroll up to Vox/Starks see the Pure Rules. This has a 10:00 time limit. Valkyrie grabs the ropes thirty seconds in to break a waistlock. She claims she doesn’t care when the rope break rule is brought to her attention. She uses her second rope break moments later to break another waistlock. Aminata leaves Valkyrie reeling with chocolate kisses. Valkyrie captures Aminata in the ropes and drops her with a sliding rope-assisted German suplex. Valkyrie throws Aminata’s legs into the ring posts before giving her a legdrop on the ring apron. Valkyrie imitates Thekla, Aminata’s rival, to get into her head before dropping her with a Blue Thunder Bomb. Valkyrie gets two with a butterfly cradle drop, and then transitions into a STF. Aminata uses her first rope break to escape. Aminata cuts Valkyrie off with a double overhand chop. After another pair of them, she suplexes Valkyrie and puts her in a full nelson using her legs. Valkyrie uses her third and final rope break to escape. Valkyrie spears Aminata for two. Aminata fights out off a butterfly and looks for a fujiwara armbar. She grabs the ropes and pulls Aminata face first into them. Valkyrie gloats over her wise decision, only to turn right into a headbutt from Aminata, getting the Queen the pin at 8:26. This was good but you didn’t get to see the full extent of Aminata’s technical prowess. Hopefully she gets to show that deeper into the tournament. I like that Valkyrie’s arrogance cost her. She went from being too good to care about the rules to those rules leading indirectly to her downfall. ***

Deonna Purrazzo, who is on the same side of the bracket as Aminata, comes out after the match. They go face to face and shake hands.

The Swirl (Blake Christian & Lee Johnson) vs. The Kingdom (Matt Taven & Michael Bennett)

This is the Kingdom’s first ROH match in over two months. After some brawling in the aisle, Taven wipes out the opposition with the Flight of the Conqueror. Christian pulls Johnson out of the corner when Bennett comes flying in. Johnson gives Bennett a back suplex on the apron and then drapes him on the guardrail. Christian splashes Bennett onto the guardrail. We then see Jay Lethal watching the match backstage, as Christian requested he did on the Zero Hour. Bennett rolls away from an ankle lock from Johnson and tags in Taven, who wipes out Christian with a spin kick and back drops Johnson. Taven hits Raven’s pose after a DDT to Christian. Taven’s neckbreaker leads to a lionsault for two. The Kingdom looks for the Proton Pack on Johnson. Christian gloms onto Taven, and when the Kingdom charge at each other, the two teams take one another out. Christian saves Johnson from Hail Mary. Bennett looks to take out Christian on the floor, only for Christian to take him out with a Spanish Fly. Johnson blocks the Climax with a slam on Taven. Christian quickly capitalizes with a 450 Splash for two. He tornado DDT’s Taven, holding on and converting into the Vanilla Choke Zero. Johnson puts Bennett in a Guillotine to block him, but Bennett ends up giving Johnson a Spicolli driver onto Christian. He gives another Spicolli driver to Christian. Taven gives Christian Just The Tip, and Christian rolls to the floor before they can try a pin. They go for a Doomsday Flight of the Conqueror on the floor. Johnson pulls down the top rope to send Taven tumbling. Christian double stomps Bennett into a rolling Death Valley Driver from Johnson to Bennett on the floor. In the ring, Taven nails the Kick of the King on Johnson. Christian low blows Taven when Taven tries his wrecking ball dropkick. The Swirl then deliver their double stomp/rolling DVD combo to Taven for the pin at 11:22. A great match for The Swirl to further establish themselves as a tandem. Like the opener, this maybe could’ve stood to lose a few minutes, but was still really solid all around. ***¼

ROH Pure Championship Proving Ground Match
Lee Moriarty vs. Xelhua

Xelhua earned this title bout by surviving the time limit in a Proving Ground match. Xelhua’s father S.W.A.T. is in the front row. Scroll up to Vox/Starks see the Pure Rules. Moriarty tries to force Xelhua to use a rope break early by putting him in a front facelock. Xelhua puts him in a surfboard cloverleaf, and Moriarty falls into the ropes, using his first rope break to escape. Moriarty is clearly surprised by this. Xelhua uses his feet to pull Moriarty to the mat in a neck-tie headscissors, turning it into a submission. He twists Moriarty’s neck again, and when he tries another time, Moriarty escapes and armdrags Xelhua away to get some distance between them. As they fight with each other, both of them attacking the others arms and hands, Moriarty takes them to the ropes. As Mike Posey breaks them apart, with Posey unable to tell who is in control, nobody loses a rope break. Moriarty sneaks in a closed fist strike. Xelhua responds with one of his own, but gets caught and is issued a warning. Moriarty hops over Posey, surprising Xelhua with a dropkick. Moriarty stomps down Xelhua in the corner, smiling now that he is in control of the contest. The celebration is short-lived as Xelhua cuts him off with a flying headbutt and a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. Moriarty dropkicks Xelhua’s arm and attacks his left hand. Moriarty pulls at Xelhua’s fingers until Xelhua uses his first rope break. Moriarty drives Xelhua’s arm into the barricades as it is hammerlocked and also stomps on his arm as they re-enter the ring. Moriarty suicide dives Xelhua into the barricades twice. The third time, Xelhua is able to catch it, and puts Moriarty in a straight jacket armbar on the floor! Posey gets Xelhua back in the ring. Moriarty snaps Xelhua’s arm on the top rope and gets two with a springboard clothesline. Xelhua uses his second rope break to escape the Border City Stretch. Xelhua looks to close the gap after a crossbody, putting Moriarty in a hammerlock stretch muffler style submission. Moriarty uses his foot to spend his second rope break. Moriarty attacks Xelhua’s arm when Xelhua approaches. He waterwheel slams Xelhua and drops him with FANG! Xelhua places his leg on the rope, using his third and final rope break to avoid being pinned. Xelhua rolls Moriarty onto his shoulders to break the Border City Stretch. He gives Moriarty a backbreaker before pulling him into a hammerlock cradle drop for two. As they trade pins, Xelhua’s arm is too weak for a backslide. Moriarty puts him in a Cobra Twist. When they get to the ropes, Moriarty puts him in a standing Border City Stretch. Xelhua submits at 16:16. Another match that went a bit too long. I liked the style of wrestling and the story, and Moriarty once again looked strong in victory, it just would’ve been a little more satisfying if it was more succinct. Also, three Pure matches on one show is a lot. There’s only so much you can do with the rules and remain unique from one another. Still, the best match of the show so far. ***½

Fight Without Honor
Paul Walter Hauser vs. QT Marshall

Marshall is surprised when he mocks Hauser with wrestling holds and Hauser competently wrestles back. Marshall powders after Hauser gives him a kokeshi headbutt, and Hauser follows him out with a tumbleweed senton. Hauser sets up a table ringside. When it looks like Marshall is about to suplex him through it, Hauser shifts his weight and suplexes Marshall on the floor. Marshall dropkicks a ladder into Hauser’s face when Hauser pulls one out from under the ring. Hauser dazed Marshall with jabs and a bionic elbow back in the ring. Marshall had set up the ladder in the corner while Hauser was recovering, and when Hauser came after him, Marshall gave Hauser a spinebuster onto the ladder. Marshall followed up by launching Hauser face first into the bottom of the ladder and busting the Emmy award winner open. Marshall then introduces a barbed wire bat and chair into the bout, hitting Hauser in the back and stomach with the bat. Hauser blocks the chair by sending it into Marshall’s face. He splashes Marshall in the corner before hitting him on the back with the chair. Aaron Solo attacks Hauser with a singapore cane. He tries holding Hauser for Marshall to attack, but Hauser fights off Solo and backdrops Marshall to the floor. Just as Solo threatens to handcuff Hauser to the ropes, Hook comes to his rescue. Hook suplexes Solo through a table set up in the corner and pulls him to the back in the Kata Ha Jime. Hauser successfully puts Marshall through the table he set up on the floor with a Grand Rapids Plunge off of the ring apron! Hauser then gives Marshall a sit-out piledriver onto the seat of a chair for two. Hauser pulls out his Golden Globe award and nails Marshall with it. He then exposes a collection of broken glass and tries to shove Hauser’s face in it. Instead, Marshall jabs Hauser with a piece of the glass. He goes for the Diamond Cutter but Hauser throws Marshall back first onto the glass instead! Hauser then gives Marshall a Death Valley Driver onto the glass for two. Hauser dumps thumbtacks on the mat. Marshall gets control and powerbombs Hauser onto the tacks! Referee Paul Turner checks on Hauser before Marshall pins Hauser in a way where Marshall would not get in the tacks. It is unsuccessful, so Marshall sets up a table and pours the broken glass onto it. Hauser low blows Marshall as he’s trash talking. Marshall low blows him back and puts him through the table with a super Diamond Cutter at 20:35. What the hell was that? That was on its way to being a triumphant, feel good revenge story for Hauser and then Marshall had to win? Not only did he have to win, but had to kick out of a sit-out piledriver on a chair and being given a Death Valley Driver on a pile of glass. That was good until it wasn’t and once again, way too long. Huge props to PWH, though. Ugh. ***¼

ROH World Tag Team Championship
Sammy Guevara & RUSH vs. The Outrunners (Truth Magnum & Turbo Floyd)

Due to undergoing double knee surgery, Dustin Rhodes could not defend the tag titles, and Tony Khan declared the titles vacant. Dustin’s partner, Sammy Guevara, was able to choose a new partner in an attempt to re-capture the titles. RUSH is quite the wildcard, and Guevara looks pleased with his pick. Magnum is able to keep up with Guevara, and RUSH is angry that Floyd gives him no quarter. The Outrunners experience as a team shows as they pepper RUSH with tandem offense. RUSH brings Magnum to the corner. He and Guevara each splash Magnum in the corner and hit him with tandem basement dropkicks. After a long beatdown, Magnum evades a corner attack from Guevara and tags in Floyd. Floyd goes nuts with slams, including slamming Magnum onto RUSH. Guevara shoves Floyd into Magnum when they’re just about to do the Predator handshake. They pull it off a few moments later after getting rid of Guevara, with a double elbow to RUSH after the fact. Guevara superkicks Floyd to prevent them from hitting RUSH with Total Recall. Guevara, however, takes Total Recall moments later, with everyone being laid out due to the offense that preceded it. Guevara pushes Magnum off of the top turnbuckle and to the floor. Floyd is momentarily concerned for his partner, and he walks right into a slam from RUSH into the corner. RUSH blasts him with the Bull’s Horns. RUSH then tags Guevara, who flips off the crowd before pinning Floyd at 13:02. The Outrunners are a good team and did their best to try and make us believe. But as soon as RUSH was announced as Guevara, everybody knew where this match was going. Add to the fact that they had to follow the Fight Without Honor, they had an uphill battle. ***

Dralistico comes out to celebrate with RUSH and Guevara. The Von Erichs also come out, looking for some sort of explanation. Guevara appears to keep the peace between them, but then superkicks Marshall, leading to him, RUSH, and Dralistico beating them down. They stand tall over the laid out Von Erich’s. Lexy Nair then tries to interview The Outrunners. Shane Taylor Promotions instead interrupts them, mocks them, and leaves. Guess they’re gonna need a partner.

ROH World Championship
Bandido vs. Hechicero

Bandido has been champion since 4.6.2025 and this is his fourth defense. Don Callis introduces Hechicero and then joins commentary. Hechicero does not shake Bandido’s hand. After Hechicero takes down Bandido with a headscissors and keeps a submission on, Bandido has to do the same to him. Hechicero converts that into a modified bow and arrow stretch. Bandido retreats to the corner where he kicks Hechicero’s knee out when Hechicero approaches. Bandido impressively muscles Hechicero up into what may be a flipping square driver, but Hechicero rolls forward before he can. Bandido headstands out of a double wrist lock headscissor. Hechicero surprises him with a running shoulder block and dog walks Bandido into a Magistral cradle for two. Hechicero traps him in a seatbelt pin for a very close nearfall, and perhaps out of instinct, Bandido shows he can get a pin anytime too with a huracanrana for two. Bandido picks up the pace and ends up sending Hechicero to the floor with a cartwheel armdrag. Bandido follows Hechicero with a tope con hilo into a headscissors. Bandido shoulder tackles Hechicero in the corner, and when he tries again, Hechicero knocks him out of mid-air with a knee strike. Hechicero rips at Bandido’s mask, just like his stablemate Konosuke Takeshita did last month. After Bandido kicks out of a pump-handle facebuster, Callus gets off of commentary to distract Bandido so Hechicero can get in kidney punches and a crossbody across the ropes. Hechicero avoids Bandido’s one-handed slam and pulls him out of mid-air by his leg when Bandido attempts a leapfrog. Despite Hechicero rolling Bandido thrice while trapping him in a surfboard stretch, Bandido muscles his way out of it and puts it on Hechicero. It takes him a few tries, akin to Bryan Danielson’s “whoa” surfboard stretch. Hechicero also muscles out and attacks Bandido’s leg again. He does more damage to the mid-section by throwing Bandido into the barricades.

Back in the ring, he puts Bandido in a bodyscissors choke, which he defeated Bandido in an eight man tag with on Dynamite, before kicking him in the kidneys and snapping his shoulder behind his back. He tears more of Bandido’s mask which gets the crowd to chant for the champion. Bandido strikes him from out of the corner before taking him down with a corkscrew press. He slams Hechicero as Hechicero is coming off of the ropes and superkicks him to the floor. Bandido fosbury flops after him and gets two with a frog splash back in the ring. Bandido gets some comeuppance by tearing at Hechicero’s mask. He kicks him to the floor, but when he follows out, Hechicero traps his leg on the barricade and elbow drops the small of Bandido’s back. Bandido reverses Hechicero’s suplex attempt off of the barricades, instead suplexing Hechicero onto the barricade! Bandido also monkey flipped Hechicero off the apron and to the floor, and then followed with a high crossbody from the top turnbuckle! Hechicero caught a pump kick in the ropes and gave his leg a dragonscrew leg whip in the ropes. Hechicero stomped on Bandido’s ankle as his leg lay on the middle rope. Hechicero captures Bandido in a chinlock against the ropes. Bandido elbows out, pumps Hechicero elbow and arm across the top rope and his shoulder. Bandido looks for a Code Red off of the apron and to the floor. Hechicero counters mid-move and spins Bandido out into a slam to the floor! Back in the ring, Hechicero stretches out Bandido’s knee while he has his legs locked across Bandido’s shoulders. He transitions to a pin, and Bandido gets his shoulders up, also releasing Hechicero’s grasp. Hechicero spins Bandido out in a hammerlock. Bandido slips out and looks for a powerbomb. Hechicero counters into a sunset bomb. Hechicero turns Bandido inside out with a lariat. Bandido ducks his follow up and spikes Hechicero with a reverse Frankensteiner, leaving both men laying. Exhausted, they exchange headbutts and open handed chops while on their knees. They fire one another up with punches and get to their feet. Bandido muscles Hechicero up into the X-Knee. Hechicero blocks the 21 Plex mid move, putting Bandido into an inverted Gory Stretch. Bandido pulls Hechicero onto his shoulders. Hechicero victory rolls Bandido and Bandido reverses. Hechicero fails to catapult Bandido into a sleeper, so he puts him in a pendulum stretch. Bandido kind of rolls out of it, but it appears Hechicero may have just been exhausted. They both get to the top turnbuckle and Bandido brings down Hechicero with a moonsault slam. Hechicero resists the 21 Plex, so Bandido straight jacket rolls him into a German suplex for the pin at 36:28. This was another fantastic defense from Bandido, but it fell apart badly in the last three to five minutes. It appears that they got exhausted. I loved the story of Hechicero overwhelming Bandido, only for Bandido to “match his freak and then escalate things. It had some of the “anything you can do I can do better” vibes from the Dorada match, as well as the going through hell and still succeeding story that the Takeshita bout had. Again, shave ten minutes off of this and you have another classic. It was still pretty dang great, and just falls short of the Takeshita bout. ****¼

ROH Women’s World Championship
Athena vs. Mina Shirakawa

Athena has been the champion since 12.10.2022 and this is her thirty-first defense. Billie Starkz is in her corner, and she surprises Athena with The Blue Meanie as a minion. Athena kicks him out of the ring when he begins dancing with Shirakawa. Shirakawa is also the Interim ROH Women’s Television champion. Athena’s shoulder blades have a ton of tape on them. Shirakawa honed in on that with a side Russian leg sweep and by driving her into the mat with a falling knee off the top rope. She also stomps Athena’s knees into the mat. On the floor, she accidentally chops a ring post with the broken hand. Athena hones in on that, slamming it onto the announce table several times and then trapping it between the ring post and ring steps and dropkicking the steps. She continues to attack the wrist back in the ring with glee. When Shirakawa sneaks in a roll-up, Athena drops the celebration and continues to inflict pain. Athena gets her knee jammed against a chair and the barricades, aggravating the knee Shirakawa targeted earlier. Shirakawa goes back to the knee when Athena re-enters the ring. She puts Athena in a high angle cloverleaf and snaps back on her knee. Shirakawa uses the ring post to inflict more damage. Starkz distracts Shirakawa again. Shirakawa however notices Athena looking to surprise her with a suicide dive, moves, and Athena ends up crashing into Starkaz. Shirakawa then rolls over Starkz and splashes onto Athena. When Shirakwa attempts a powerbomb, Athena swings her into the barricades. Shirakawa recovers and gets Athena in a figure four leg lock back in the ring. Athena uses the ropes to escape. During a strike exchange, Athena hurts her knee, and Shirakawa kicks away at it. Athena blocks a high kick from Shirakawa and muscles her into a tombstone piledriver for two. Athena nurses her knee as she sits in disbelief over Shirakawa’s kick out. She pulls Shirakawa up onto her shoulder. Shirakawa shakes Athena’s already shaky balance and spikes her with a tornado DDT. She gets two with a flying Slingblade. Athena grabs Shirakawa’s wrist to fight off the Glamorous Driver. She drops Shirakawa with Old School Expulsion. She knees Shirakawa in the face before putting her in a Koji Clutch. Shirakawa punches Athena’s knee to force her to break. Athena blasts Shirakawa with a big boot after the fact for two. Shirakawa halts Athena on the ropes. She brings Athena down in a electric chair facebuster. She then puts Athena in a figure four leg lock. Athena reverses the pressure, but Shirakawa reverses it back. Shirakawa wrenches it on but Athena does finally get ahold of the bottom rope. Athena pulls off a superplex. Her pop-up powerbomb fails, with Shirakawa instead landing on her chest. Shirakawa hits her with two rolling elbows and a backfist before attempting the Glamorous Driver again. She pulls it off, but can’t get a three count. Athena escapes a second Glamorous Driver. She gives Shirakawa a sit-out slam and transitions into an armbar, biting Shirakawa’s bad hand. Athena muscles Shirakawa up into a straightjacket powerbomb. The O-Face follows, giving Athena the pin at 25:27. Man did they do this match a disservice putting it after the Bandido/Hechicero bout. They did a great job, and and did what they could to make a foregone conclusion not seem so obvious, but it just was hard to get into another lengthy title match after the epic we just saw. ***½

A good not great show with some questionable booking and way too many matches and way too many long matches. That’s ROH in 2025 for you.