ROH World Championship
Bandido vs. Mascara Dorada
AEW Collision #117 – Edinburg, TX – 11.1.2025

Bandido has been champion since 4.6.2025 and this is his seventh defense. This is a rematch from their critically acclaimed bout at Global Wars Mexico. Alex Abrahantes is in Dorada’s corner. The opening reflected their previous encounter, with Bandido and Dorada trying to outdo the other and prove their superiority. Bandido biffed a dive and was sent shoulder first into the barricade by Dorada, the same shoulder Hechicero had damaged in their title bout last month. Dorada showed frustrations but also compassion when it appeared the referee and medic may end the match. Bandido decided to continue on. You saw compassion out of Dorada where he allowed Bandido up from the mat on his own volition rather than attacking him further. Unfortunately for Dorada, it resulted in an impressive comeback from Bandido, resulting in Bandido yo-throwing Dorada face first onto the ring apron and sending him into the announcer’s table with a suicide dive. Back in the ring, Dorada swept out Bandido’s legs, resulting in him landing in an upside down position on the top rope. Dorada brought down the champion with a super Dominator but only was able to get a two count with a tilt-a-whirl DDT. They fight to the apron, where Bandido cuts off a charge from Dorada by popping him up into the air and driving him face first down to the floor. They both make it into the ring before the twenty count but are worse for wear. Dorada is able to back flip his way out of a headscissors attempt but is unable to avoid Bandido’s running knee strike. He evades it a second time and wipes out Bandido with a springboard crossbody. Dorada headscissors Bandido to the floor and follows with a tornillo press. Dorada then lands an impressive shooting star press to a standing Bandido from the middle rope to the floor. In the ring, Dorada spikes Bandido with a flying crucifix driver for two. Bandido again pops up Dorada as he comes off the ropes, this time into a bicycle knee strike. They continue going back and forth until they knock each other down with simultaneous running boots. Dorada goes for a few pinning combinations to force Bandido’s shoulders to the mat but can’t keep the champion down for the count. Dorada attempts a shooting star press. Bandido gets his knees up to block and then cradles him for two. Dorada cuts off Bandido on the top turnbuckle. He pulls off the skyscraper Frankensteiner but Bandido rolls through into a sunset flip for two. The X-Knee and 21 Plex get Bandido the pin at 22:47. There were a lot of callbacks to the first match, but this had a unique story that I really dug. Bandido has been nursing an injury since his previous title match, and Dorada decided to show Bandido compassion instead of exploiting the injury. What if he had? Would he be the ROH World Champion? That stuck with me as I saw Dorada inch closer and closer to pinning Bandido and not being able to close the deal. This time around too, Dorada was not able to kick out of the 21 Plex, which with an injured shoulder Bandido may not have been able to pull off had he exploited that injury more. While this had a little more meat on the bone than the CMLL match, it lacked some of the external factors the Arena Mexico bout had that gives the first encounter the tiniest advantage over this. Still, this is worth seeking out. ****

ROH World Six Man Tag Team Championship Match
Shane Taylor Promotions (Shane Taylor, Carlie Bravo & Shawn Dean) vs. The WorkHorsemen (Anthony Henry & JD Drake) & BEEF
ROH on HonorClub #140 – Jacksonville, FL – 11.6.2025

Shane Taylor Promotions have been champions since 8.29.2025 and this is their second defense. Anthony Ogogo is in their corner. Bravo is triple teamed by the opposition until Dean trips BEEF from the floor. All of STP attacks BEEF on the apron, ending with a splash from Taylor. The Infantry are full of quips to the crowd as they wear down BEEF in their corner. Henry saves BEEF from being pinned after he takes a second rope splash from Taylor. BEEF cartwheels away from a corner splash from Taylor and knocks him down with a dropkick, giving him the opening to tag in Henry. Henry takes down Dean with a pop-up knee strike and a German suplex. Drake haymakers Bravo before popping him up into a powerbomb from Henry. Double knee strikes from the WorkHorsemen only get two on Dean thanks to Bravo interjecting. They then Irish whip BEEF into a back splash against the ropes on Dean. Taylor and Bravo pull Henry and Drake to the floor as Ogogo distracts referee Mike Posey. RUSH appears from out of nowhere and clobbers BEEF with his tag title! Bravo and Dean swoop in and Double Curb Stomp BEEF for the pin at 7:08. A super basic but effective match. We’ll have to wait a little bit for the pay off on RUSH (more on that later), if there ever is one. **¼

LFI of RUSH, Dralistico and The Beast Mortos exit as STP continue beating down BEEF after the bell. Just as Taylor is about to land another second rope splash, SkyFlight of Dante Martin, Darius Martin and Scorpio Sky chase them off. SkyFlight has been vocal about wanting a shot at the Six-Man Titles. They defeated STP back on the July 31st episode of Collision, defeated The Kingdom and Matt Menard on this same episode of ROH, as well as some other mixed matches with Leila Grey.

ROH Pure Championship Proving Ground Match
Lee Moriarty vs. Komander
ROH on HonorClub #140 – Jacksonville, FL – 11.6.2025

If Komander wins this match or lasts the ten minute time limit, he will earn a future Pure Championship match. Alex Abrahantes is in his corner. Commentary mentions before the bell that luchadores have been Moriarty’s Achilles heel in Proving Ground contests, which is true of the last two PPV’s – Blue Panther at Supercard of Honor, and Xelhua at Death Before Dishonor.

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.

Moriarty avoids a running splash and places Komander in a Border City Stretch. Komander uses his first rope break to escape. Komander headscissors Moriarty into a Trailer Hitch, and Moriarty has to use his first rope break to escape. He mockingly applauds Komander before kneeing him in the stomach and putting him in a handlebar stretch. Komander pops himself up onto Moriarty’s shoulders and takes him down with a headscissors. Moriarty blocks a haymaker and pulls Komander into the middle turnbuckle with a Complete Shot. Komander uses his second rope break to escape an Octopus Stretch, which is almost forced by Moriarty, who led him to the ropes in a way. Komander puts Moriarty in an abdominal stretch of his own. Just as Komander is about to add a clutch, Moriarty grabs the ropes, using his second rope break to escape. Komander headscissors Moriarty mid-ring and DDT’s him for two. Before Komander can walk away, Moriarty upkicks Komander from the mat and cradles him for two. Moriarty and Komander deliver running boots at the same time. Komander uses the ropes to pull off a tornado DDT for two. Komander’s double jump moonsault gets him a two count, Moriarty kicks out of a Skayde schoolboy. Komander escapes Moriarty’s bridging pin and tries one of his own, but Moriarty locks him in a sleeper. Komander rolls Moriarty onto his shoulders to escape. Komander traps Moriarty in knee submission when the 10:00 time limit expires. This did exactly what it needed to – get me excited for an extended rematch. These guys work together tremendously and I very much look forward to the title bout. ***¼

Red Velvet returned from injury on November 19th, her first match since June, to finally determine the “true” ROH Women’s World Television title against the Interim champion, Mercedes Moné, on AEW Dynamite. With the event taking place in Boston, Moné would have homefield advantage.

ROH Women’s World Television Title & Interim ROH Women’s World Television Title Unification Match
Red Velvet vs. Mercedes Moné
AEW Dynamite #320 – Boston, MA – 11.19.2025

Red Velvet has been champion since 7.26.2024 and this is her eighth defense. Mercedes Moné has been Interim champion since 10.18.2025 and this is her first defense. It’s a little thing, but I like that the real champion (Velvet) entered second. Velvet shows no fear against Moné, getting right in her face before the bell and face palming her after they throw stereo dropkicks. Velvet chokes Moné in the corner. When she tries to jam her neck against the middle rope, Moné moves, and then dropkicks Velvet to the floor. Moné then comes off of the apron with a Meteora to the floor and holds up both titles triumphantly. Velvet kicks Moné from the mat and the two get in a tussle, resulting in Moné throwing Velvet into Kris Statlander, who is on commentary for the bout. In the commotion of Statlander trying to interject, Velvet tries to Eddy Guerrero her way into victory by framing Moné with the title belt. Velvet parlays that into a roll-up pin attempt and a high kick to Moné’s head. As Velvet is punching Moné in the corner, Moné slips out and crotches Velvet on the middle rope and drives her into the mat with double knees. Moné tosses Velvet out of the ring, and Velvet hits the edge of the ring apron on her way down. Velvet reverses the momentum of a back suplex and lateral presses Moné into the canvas. Velvet follows up with a wheelbarrow facebuster and double knees to the back of Moné’s neck against the middle rope. Moné blocks a haymaker and pulls Velvet down into the Statement Maker. Velvet uses the ropes to push back and escape into a Magistral cradle. Moné fights out of an armbreaker, but Velvet gets her in a short-arm scissor. Velvet is forced to abandon when Moné pushes Velvet onto her shoulders. Moné catches a roundhouse kick and knees Velvet in the face. Moné misses double knees in the corner, and Velvet knees her in the neck again before giving her a release German suplex. Velvet connects with the roundhouse kick for two. Velvet tries for an abdominal stretch, but Moné counters into a Tenchi Crash for two. Velvet cuts off Moné on the top turnbuckle and brings her down with a wheelbarrow driver for two. Velvet places Moné on the top turnbuckle again. This time, it backfires, and a super Tenchi Crash gets Moné the pin at 12:25. A really impressive showing from Velvet, who showed little to no rust after her time away. She fought like hell against Moné and more than held her own with one of the top wrestlers in the TK verse. While Statlander being on commentary did make this match feel like more of a way to advance her match with Moné at the Full Gear PPV, I never once felt like it was at the expense of what was happening in the ring, and what was happening in the ring was dynamic and interesting. I am delighted that we will be getting a rematch at Final Battle. ***½

ROH Women’s World Championship
Athena vs. Harley Cameron
ROH on HonorClub #142 – Erie, PA – 11.20.2025

Athena has been the champion since 12.10.2022 and this is her thirty-second defense. Cameron earned this title match by pinning Athena in a tag team match on the 11.5.2025 edition of AEW Dynamite. Cameron has Athena’s number until Athena caught her breath on the apron. When Cameron attempted to bring her back in, Athena snapped Cameron’s arm across the top rope and gave her a Side Effect onto the ring apron. Athena told Cameron she was nothing as she blasted her with forearm strikes in the corner, clearly gotten to over the loss fifteen days prior. Cameron evades a senton and headscissors Athena into a roll-up for two. Athena knocks Cameron back down with a boot and pummels Cameron while mounting her. After splashing Athena in the corner and bringing her down with a sling blade, Cameron gives it right back, mounting Athena and reigning down on her with blows. A shining wizard gets Cameron a two count. Athena blocks Sole Food and O’Connor rolls Cameron into a splash from the middle rope for two. As Athena antagonizes the crowd from the apron, Cameron cuts her off with a Sole Food from the inside of the ring. On the floor, however, Athena turns things around by throwing Cameron back first into the corner of the guardrail, and face first into one of the ring posts. Athena spends too much time playing to the crowd as she ascends the turnbuckles. Cameron cuts her off and brings her down with a superplex. Cameron then pumphandle back suplexes Athena for two. Athena looks to add insult to injury by giving Cameron her own finisher, but Cameron escapes and gives Athena a back cracker. She puts Athena in a STF. Athena bites Cameron’s hand to escape. She Hot Shots Cameron when Cameron comes charging and rolls her into a Koji Clutch. Cameron taps out at 12:36. They went with the most logical story, underdog Harley does better against the champion than expected, but still comes up short, and did it well. Cameron is still pretty limited so this match had a relatively low ceiling when compared to Athena’s other defenses. For a filler defense it was perfectly acceptable. **¾

Later in the same episode, CMLL’s Persephone would challenge Athena to a Women’s Title match at “Final Battle”, using her tag team win over Athena from Global Wars Mexico as justification. For what it’s worth, neither of them were involved in the fall, but hey, a win is a win. Later in the episode, Persephone would defeat Valentina Rossi. After the match, Athena confronted Persephone. Diamante would attack Persephone as she was face-to-face with Athena. A title match between the two would be made official at the end of the episode. Persephone would defeat Diamante in singles competition the Tuesday before Final Battle as retribution.

The main event of the episode saw Top Flight defeat The Infantry. They would brawl after the match, with Shane Taylor and Scorpio Sky also getting involved, with SkyFlight left standing tall. A Six Man Tag Team Title match between Shane Taylor Promotions and SkyFlight was made official for Final Battle right after this confrontation.

RUSH was the original opponent scheduled to face Bandido at Final Battle, a rematch from Best In The World 2021 where Bandido unseated RUSH to become the champion for the first time. However, RUSH suffered an injury on the November 15th episode of AEW Collision. Because of this, Tony Khan announced on November 28th that Bandido would be defending the ROH World Title in a Survival of the Fittest match. His opponents will include Hechicero, getting his third shot at the gold, ROH Tag Team Champion and RUSH’s partner Sammy Guevara, Komander, who won the 2024 Survival of the Fittest match at last year’s Final Battle, the runner up in that same match, Blake Christian, and Guevara’s LFI faction mate The Beast Mortos.

Komander was originally set to face Lee Moriarty for the Pure Title, a match he earned in a Proving Ground match last month. Now he will face Moriarty for the title on the December 26th episode of ROH on HonorClub at the Hammerstein Ballroom. Moriarty will still be on the Final Battle card, facing Nigel McGuinness in a non-title 30 Minute Iron Man Match. Nigel lost to Moriarty at last year’s Final Battle, but would defeat him in a four way match in August in AEW, so to Nigel, this is a chance to prove his superiority before he hangs up the boots for good. Nigel laid out the challenge, and the match was quickly signed.

Sammy Guevara isn’t so lucky. Just like he experienced with Dustin Rhodes’ injury, Sammy once again has to forfeit and re-compete for the ROH Tag Team titles at Final Battle. This time, however, his partner will not be a surprise. Fellow LFI member The Beast Mortos will be his partner at Final Battle. This means Sammy and Mortos will be both be pulling double duty at the PPV. Later in the episode, it was confirmed that Adam Priest and Tommy Billington would be their opponents. The day of Final Battle is also the seventh anniversary of the passing of Billington’s father, the original Dynamite Kid.

Rounding out the card:

* Red Velvet challenged and was granted a rematch for the ROH Women’s TV title against Mercedes Moné. Moné made her official ROH debut the night before, defeating Lovely Miss Larkan in just over thirty seconds. 

*The inaugural AEW National Champion, Ricochet, will defend the title against Dalton Castle. This is the first time an AEW title is being defended on an ROH show, and the first time Ricochet and Dalton have ever been in a ring together. I’m looking forward to that.

*The ROH Women’s Pure Championship tournament ends with Billie Starkz facing Deonna Purrazzo. The winner will be the inaugural ROH Women’s Pure Champion. Billie won the ROH Women’s TV Title tournament last year, can she do it again?

*As a warm-up for his AEW World Title match against Samoa Joe next Wednesday, Eddie Kingston will face former Pure Champion Josh Woods. It will be good to see both men back on an ROH card.

This is probably the best built ROH PPV of the TK era, and the strongest period of matches to occur on TV between PPV’s. All factors lead me to believe this will absolutely smoke last year’s Final Battle.