Columbus, OH – 12.5.2025

Commentary is provided by Ian Riccaboni & Caprice Coleman.

Zero Hour

The Outrunners (Truth Magnum & Turbo Floyd) vs. The Premier Athletes (Ariya Daivari & Tony Nese)

“Smart” Mark Sterling and Stori Denali are in The Athletes’ corner. The Athletes think they have things in control when they get Magnum trapped in their corner, but when they try for a double suplex, Floyd jumps in and helps Magnum pull off stereo suplexes onto Nese and Daivari. A distraction from Denali and Sterling allows for Nese to take out Magnum with a slingshot pescado. Sterling gets in some boots behind referee Bryce Remsburg’s back before the Athletes go back to wearing down Magnum. Magnum rolls away when Nese goes for a springboard lionsault and tags in Floyd. Floyd body slams the Athletes repeatedly. Daivari superkicks Floyd and Magnum takes him down with a clothesline. Sterling gets to the apron when Magnum begins to climb the ropes. Magnum pursues Sterling, but he walks into a clothesline from Denali. Daivari’s Magic Carpet splash only gets a two count on Magnum. The Predator double elbow drop on Daivari transitions into Total Recall, getting the Outrunners the pin at 9:13. A simple but fun opening tag team match. Gives some ROH regulars some time, and gets Outrunners momentum towards hopefully a tag or six man tag title match in the future. **¼

Leila Grey vs. Zayda Steel

Steel is a former WWE ID prospect, and this is her ROH debut. She challenged Grey to this match on the YouTube Special that aired this past Tuesday. Christopher Daniels is in Grey’s corner. Steel stops Grey in the ropes with a Code Breaker. Steel misses a step-up knee strike in the corner. Grey, however, pulls one off herself. She gives Steel a running neckbreaker and a Slingblade for two. Steel slips off of Grey’s shoulders, but Grey takes her down with a powerslam for two. Steel trips her into a half crab. Steel kicks her way free and makes Steel pay with multiple close-up clotheslines in the corner. Steel sends Grey to the apron and knocks her to the floor with a back elbow. Steel then takes her down with a suicide dive. Back in the ring, Steel takes down Grey with a bulldog. Steel tries a jackknife pin, which Grey rolls into the Angel’s Wings to score the pin at 6:33. That was a cool finish. It came out of nowhere, but totally worked, and I like Daniels passing down the move to her. Steel had a good showing and would be a solid enough addition to the roster. **½

Lexy Nair interviews LFI members Sammy Guevara and The Beast Mortos. They are pulling double duty as they compete for the ROH World Tag Team Titles and for the ROH World Title tonight. Guevara says the tag titles are staying with “la familia.” Hechicero is going to watch their back during that match, and the three of them will have each other’s back in the World title bout, ensuring that the best amongst them walks away champion.

Ace Austin vs. Lee Johnson

This is Austin’s ROH debut. He is a former TNA X-Division and TNA Tag Team champion, as well as a former BULLET CLUB member. He is currently in AEW’s Bang Bang Gang faction. He’s quick as hell, and Johnson has to throw him face first into the ring steps to get control of the bout. Johnson also gives Austin a reverse DDT on the floor. Austin is able to get back on track in the ring. He places Johnson on the top turnbuckle. Johnson side swipes a kick and goes for a crossbody, only for Austin to cut him off with a gutbuster. Austin gets two with a Doctor Bomb. Johnson ducks a high kick and drops Austin with a Blue Thunder Bomb for two. Multiple German suplexes and a half-nelson suplex lead to a yakuza kick and release powerbomb. Austin gets out of the powerbomb and roundhouse kicks Johnson. Johnson recovers and pops him up into a powerbomb for two. Austin gets his knees up to block a frog splash. After a step-in springboard enzuigiri, Austin takes out Johnson with The Fold for the pin at 9:33. An impressive showing from Austin in his debut. The match was mostly a showcase for him and he made the most of it. Johnson really was a perfect opponent for Austin to rub up against and look his best. ***

Lexy Nair then talks with Blake Christian backstage. She wants to know if Johnson’s loss affects him, as they are tag team partners. Christian seems surprised by the question. He says he’s been undefeated in ROH for over a year. Last year, Vanilla Baby was born, and this year, he became ROH World Champion. He says Ace Austin got lucky tonight against Johnson, and when he becomes World champion, he will defend the title against Ace to prove superiority. Don’t know how that works out but sure.

Death Riders (Daniel Garcia & Wheeler Yuta) vs. Grizzled Young Veterans (James Drake & Zack Gibson)

Jon Moxley is on commentary for this bout. Gibson is caught red handed poking Garcia in the eyes. It more bewilders Garcia than anything, but that bewilderment results in the GYV taking both him and Yuta out with suicide dives. Drake forearm strikes Garcia from the apron after Garcia sends him up and over. Yuta pulls Drake into the ring post by his arm. He falls in between the ring skirt and ring frame, and Garcia and Yuta pummel him while he is trapped before bringing him into the ring. Drake eventually pulls off a second rope dropkick to escape and tag Gibson back in. Gibson pump-handle suplexes Yuta onto Garcia and then gives Garcia a twisting brainbuster for two. Gibson jams him knee jumping off of the middle turnbuckle. Garcia and Yuta overwhelm him with corner elbow strikes and clotheslines before giving him a modified Hart Attack. Yuta wipes out Drake with a tope con hilo. He then delivers a flying splash to Gibson right before Garcia locks him in a Scorpion Death Lock. Gibson falls into the ropes to escape. Gibson holds Yuta for a coast-to-coast dropkick from Drake for two. Garcia shoves Drake off of the top rope to stop a Doomsday Device to Yuta. Garcia and Yuta smash Drake between the ring steps and the ring frame. In the ring, Gibson does his best to fight the Death Riders by himself. Garcia chop blocks his knee out, and Yuta Busaiku knees Gibson into a pin from Garcia at 10:08. Yuta and Garcia work together very well, and I wouldn’t mind them hanging around this division a little more. GYV at this point is just fodder which is kind of sad. ***

Main Show

ROH Women’s World Pure Title Tournament Final Round Match
Deonna Purrazzo vs. Billie Starkz

The winner of this match becomes the inaugural ROH Women’s World Pure champion. Purrazzo came up short in the Women of Honor championship tournament in 2018, but would win the current ROH Women’s World Champion in 2022. Billie Starkz would become the inaugural ROH Women’s Television champion, winning that tournament at Supercard of Honor 2024. Final Battle has not been a good event for Starkz, as she lost Women’s World title bouts to Athena both in 2023 and 2024.

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.

Starkz uses her first rope break in the first fifteen seconds of the match to avoid Purrazzo’s fujiwara armbar. Starkz bites Purrazzo’s thumb when Purrazzo has her in a chinlock. Purrazzo rolls Starkz back to a Fujiwara armbar. This time, Starkz rolls Purrazzo onto her shoulders. Purrazzo pitches Starkz to the floor, but when she follows her out, Starkz curb stomps Purrazzo face first onto the ring steps. Back in the ring, Starkz clotheslines Purrazzo in the corner and brings her out with a DDT for two. Purrazzo maneuvers Starkz into a short arm clothesline. Starkz reverses an Irish whip on the floor, sending Purrazzo shoulder first into the ring post. Starkz unloads with forearm strikes again the post. She misses a clothesline, and her arm collides with the steel post. Purrazzo arm whips Starkz overhead and sends her into the announcer’s table with a side Russian leg sweep. In the ring, Purrazzo locks Starkz in a Koji Clutch. Starkz escapes, and even though she lands a roundhouse kick, Purrazzo takes her down with a clothesline to reset the match. Purrazzo strings a knee lift and leg sweep together, going back to the Fujiwara armbar after. Starkz uses her second rope break to escape. Starkz uses the ropes to pull off an enzuigiri. She grabs a sleeper hold and turns it into an Ushigoroshi for two. Starkz Alabama slams Purrazzo onto the ring apron, and then lands a Swanton Bomb onto Purrazzo’s back while Purrazzo is on the floor. Starkz lands another Swanton Bomb back in the ring and then puts Purrazzo in a sleeper hold. Purrazzo uses her first rope break to escape, her first rope break in ROH history. Purrazzo comes back with a German suplex and stuffs Starkz with the Queen’s Gambit piledriver for two. Starkz uses her third and final rope break to escape the Venus de Milo. Purrazzo stretches out Starkz’s arms and shoulder blades in the ropes. Starkz pulls Purrazzo chest and throat first into the top rope. In the ring, Starkz puts down Purrazzo with a Complete Shot. She Swanton Bombs Purrazzo. This time, Purrazzo catches her in a crucifix pin. She turns that into the Venus de Milo stretch, and Starkz submits at 13:51, making Purrazzo the inaugural Women’s Pure champion. Between her ROH history and wrestling proficiency, Purrazzo was a perfect pick to be the first champion. Her handle on pure wrestling overcame Starkz’s utilization of the ropes and the ring in improper ways. That said, Starkz being the first person to make Purrazzo use a rope break in a Pure Rules match is a feather in her cap. A good tournament final and good way to open the show. ***½

Queen Aminata meets Purrazzo in the entrance ramp to congratulate her on the win. She gently places her hand on the title, indicating her intent, and then leaves Purrazzo to celebrate.

30 Minute Iron Man Match
Lee Moriarty vs. Nigel McGuinness

Shane Taylor is in Moriarty’s corner. Moriarty has McGuinness well studied, avoiding the Jawbreaker Lariat twice in the first nearly four minutes. When Moriarty gets the Border City Stretch applied, McGuinness immediately taps out at 3:47 (1-0 Moriarty), taking the one fall deficit early to prevent further damage being done. McGuinness focuses his attack on Moriarty’s left arm and shoulder. Moriarty rolls to the floor to avoid the Tower of London. McGuinness rolls Moriarty back into the ring after catching him on the floor with an uppercut. When McGuinness re-enters the ring, Moriarty pulls him into a small package for a pin at 10:55 (2-0 Moriarty). McGuinness hammerlocks Moriarty’s left shoulder and slams the shoulder into the mat to take back control. McGuinness darn near rips Moriarty’s shoulders out of his socket, stretching them out behind his back. When Moriarty escapes, McGuinness grabs his wrist and kicks his left arm away. Moriarty jabs McGuinness in the ribs to escape another Tower of London. Moriarty crossbody’s onto McGuinness, but McGuinness gets him in the London Dungeon, which Moriarty escapes using the ropes. We see some of the old McGuinness when he pokes Moriarty in the eyes to stop being chopped in the corner. When he gets the London Dungeon applied again, Moriarty taps out at 19:05 (2-1 Moriarty). McGuinness stomps on Moriarty’s arm before going for another London Dungeon. This time, Moriarty counters into another small package, pinning McGuinness at 19:48. Moriarty continues to block McGuinness’ submissions. He appears close to fading in a triangle choke, but when he fights free, McGuinness puts Moriarty in his own crossface variation. Moriarty gets his foot on the ropes to escape. Moriarty plays defense, hoping to run out the clock. A miscalculation allows for McGuinness to connect with the Jawbreaker Lariat, and unbelievably, Moriarty is able to kick out. Shane Taylor prevents McGuinness from pursuing Moriarty on the floor. Moriarty makes McGuinness fade in a front facelock and leaves him down in the hopes of getting a fall via countout. When McGuinness gets in the ring, Moriarty locks on the Border City Stretch. McGuinness rolls Moriarty onto his shoulders and pins him 28:10 (3-2 Moriarty). They accidentally knock heads in the corner. Taylor tells Moriarty to stay in the corner, but Moriarty instead pursues McGuinness. McGuinness toe holds Moriarty into a spladle, pinning Moriarty and tying up the match 3-3 at 29:30. McGuinness then surprises Moriarty with a roll-up at 29:48, to take the lead at 4-3. While McGuinness is celebrating and referee Stephon Smith is tending to Moriarty, Taylor cracks McGuinness with a haymaker and rolls him back in the ring. Moriarty pins McGuinness just as the 30:00 time limit expires, tying the match 4-4.

Moriarty says McGuinness challenged him to determine who is the best and a tie won’t cut it. He challenges McGuinness back in the ring, and the match is now in sudden death. McGuinness slaps Moriarty before rolling him up for two. McGuinness also fails to get a pin with a backslide and a sunset flip. McGuinness knees down on Moriarty when Moriarty goes for a leg trip. They trade pinning combinations, ending with Moriarty getting his shoulder up from a headlock pin attempt. McGuinness Superman dives into a pin on Moriarty. McGuinness tries a Gedo Clutch, but Moriarty pulls him into a sleeper. McGuinness rolls back onto Moriarty’s shoulders. He kneels on Moriarty’s shoulders, but Moriarty counters into a European Clutch to score the fall and to win the match at 31:59. This was more of a mental match than a physical one, and that is extremely my shit. I wonder if using the Pure Rules would have been on a hat on a hat given the Iron Man stipulation, but it was a little odd watching them use so many rope breaks without it feeling like using them was detrimental, since it did feel like the purpose of this was to prove who is the superior pure wrestler. I do wonder what is next for Moriarty. He’s a great Pure Champion, but it does also feel like he is not making strides forward. ***¾

ROH Women’s World Television Title Match
Mercedes Moné vs. Red Velvet

Mercedes Moné has been Interim champion since 11.19.2025 and this is her first defense. This is a rematch from the match in which Moné, then Interim TV champion, defeated the “real” champion, Red Velvet, to “unify” the titles. Velvet challenged Moné to this rematch and it was quickly signed. Velvet attacks Moné during her introduction. Moné is so fired up she looks to hit Velvet with her title belt, but the referee prevents her from doing so. Velvet has a visual pin while the referee is getting rid of the belt. Moné rolls out of her grasp when the referee does come around. Moné takes control by rolling away from a standing moonsault and giving Velvet a basement Code Breaker. Moné teases a fourth suplex after the Three Amigos but instead throws Velvet down by her hair. Moné intentionally steps on Velvet en route to the apron. Velvet gets her knees up to block a frog splash. Despite this, Moné double knees Velvet in the mid-section in the corner and smash Velvet’s face into the canvas. Moné’s trash talk fires up Velvet, who jabs Moné before dropping her with a DDT. She drills Moné with double knees to the back of the head and gives her a cazadora bulldog for two. Velvet digs her foot into Moné’s throat while mocking Moné’s dance. Moné evades double knees in the corner and brings Velvet down with a back cracker. Velvet traps Moné in between the ring apron and ring frame when she attempts a baseball slide dropkick and pummels on the champion. Moné kicks Velvet in the head when Velvet tries to throw her back inside the ring. Moné drives Velvet into the floor with a Meteora. In the ring, Moné gives Velvet another backbreaker before driving her knees into Velvet’s shoulders against the ropes for two. Velvet drives Moné to the corner to block the Moné Maker. Velvet also fights out of a super Moné Maker, instead bringing down with the champ with an Avalanche wheelbarrow driver for two! She twists Moné’s ankle before blasting with her The Mix for two. Moné blocks a haymaker and gives Velvet another back cracker. Moné then pins Velvet with the Tenchi Crash for two. Moné wants a backbreaker on the top turnbuckle. When Velvet begins fighting, she goes for the super Tenchi Crash. Velvet counters into a super front flip piledriver. Velvet’s standing Diamond Dust gets her an extremely close two count. Moné pulls Velvet into the ropes and rolls her up for two. Velvet counters the Moné Maker into a wheelbarrow facebuster for two. Velvet roundhouse kicks Moné for two. Moné avoids another standing Diamond Dust and puts Velvet in the Statement Maker. Velvet uses the ropes to reposition Moné into a jackknife pin, pulling off the three count at 13:44. A genuinely shocking moment. With how protected Moné is, Velvet defeating her does feel genuinely big. But it also feels well earned. Velvet has been fantastic for most of her reign and may slowly have grown into the biggest threat to the Women’s Championship. This was an elevated version of their already great Dynamite encounter. If you liked that, you’ll also dig this. ***¾

ROH World Tag Team Championship
La Facción Ingobernable (Sammy Guevara & The Beast Mortos) vs. Adam Priest & Tommy Billington

Due to an injury, RUSH was unable to defend the tag titles, and Tony Khan declared the titles vacant. RUSH’s partner, Sammy Guevara, was able to choose a new partner in an attempt to re-capture the titles, and chose fellow LFI partner The Beast Mortos to do so. Priest and Billington have had two recent trios victories in ROH with Jay Lethal, and also two hard fought losses as a tandem against FTR on AEW television. LFI does not uphold the Code of Honor. Guevara talks a lot of trash, but any time Billington gets the better of him, he is quick to scurry to the ropes. When Priest is unable to get much traction against Mortos, he tags in Billington. Priest dropkicks Mortos into a sunset flip from Billington, and Billington hits him with his own dropkick. They double back drop Mortos and Billington then drops Priest chest-first onto Mortos for two. Guevara strikes Priest from the apron, and that distraction allows for Mortos to headbutt Priest in the jaw. LFI beat down Priest for a while, with the fans jeering any time Guevara was legal, and cheering any time Mortos was legal. Priest escapes by elbowing Guevara off of the apron and spiking Mortos with a tornado DDT. Billington takes down LFI with a London Bridge headlock takeover. Guevara cuts off Billington with a jump-up knee strike. Mortos Samoan Drops Billington for two. Billington victory rolls Mortos to escape a Doomsday Device. Priest re-enters the match with a missile dropkick to Guevara. Priest and Billington land stereo dives to the floor onto LFI. In the ring, Billington clotheslines Mortos into a German suplex from Priest for two. Hechicero interferes, knocking Priest off of the top rope when referee Mike Posey isn’t looking. Guevara also low blows Billington. Mortos then pins Billington with a corkscrew moonsault at 13:11. Guevara is now the first wrestler ever to have three back to back to back tag title reigns. This was heatless. Billington and Priest do not have the equity built up to be taken as serious competitors. The crappy finish also wasn’t effective because of that. Even though the fans dislike Guevara, they didn’t really care that Priest and Billington lost. Lemonade was not made out of the RUSH injury lemons. **¼

Eddie Kingston vs. Josh Woods

This match was advertised as a warm-up for Kingston before he challenges Samoa Joe for the AEW title on Dynamite this Wednesday. Kingston wears a shirt depicting former ROH World Champion Xavier, who passed away in 2020. Woods catches Kingston in the corner with a springboard knee strike. Kingston fights off a key lock and drives Woods into the mat with a strike to the chest. Kingston throws jabs and open hand strikes to Woods’ mid-section. He unloads chops as he holds onto Woods’ wrist. Woods attacks Kingston’s left elbow before Irish whipping him into the corner. Woods punts the elbow and pulls Kingston’s skull down into his knee. Kingston comes back with a German suplex and rapid fire chops in the corner. Woods throws Kingston over his hip and into a key lock. Kingston uses his right hand to get the ropes and escape. Kingston reverses a whip and follows Woods into the corner with a clothesline. Kingston headbutts Woods and collects himself before placing Woods on the top turnbuckle. Kingston superplexes Woods for two. Woods weaves out of a DDT attempt and knee strikes Kingston. He Chaos Theory suplexes Kingston all the way across the ring, but Kingston stops the pin by grabbing the bottom rope. Kingston catches Woods with an exploder suplex as Woods comes off of the ropes. Kingston half-nelson suplexes Woods and pulls him up into a front face lock. Kingston calls out Samoa Joe’ snake before getting the pin with a DDT at 9:45. This had the same problem as the previous match, with Woods in the Billington/Priest role. I do think Woods was a solid analog for Joe in a warm up capacity, and fans definitely reacted to his bigger moves. It was fine for what it was and I’m always glad to see Kingston, but this was far from a necessity. ***

ROH World Six Man Tag Team Championship Match
Shane Taylor Promotions (Shane Taylor, Carlie Bravo & Shawn Dean) vs. SkyFlight (Scorpio Sky, Dante Martin & Darius Martin)

Shane Taylor Promotions have been champions since 8.29.2025 and this is their third defense. Leila Grey and Christopher Daniels are in SkyFlight’s corner, while Trish Adora and Anthony Ogogo are in STP’s corner. The two teams brawl to start. Dean misses a Bronco Buster leading to Darius maneuvering him into a standing Spanish Fly and giving Taylor a suicide dive to the floor. Bravo surprises Darius with a dive through the ring posts and into a DDT on Darius. STP lock in on Darius in their corner. To prolong the beatdown, Dean also knocks Sky and Dante to the floor, with Dean also laying out Dante with a tope con hilo. When Dean comes back in the ring, Darius is able to shut him down with a dropkick. Dante comes in with rapid fire punches to Bravo. Dante flies around the outside and inside of the ring, taking out all three STP members, and earning a two count on Bravo with a crossbody. Adora trips Dante as he hits the ropes. Grey responds by tripping Bravo. Grey and Adora then come face-to-face mid-ring. Grey Thesz presses Adora and the two of them fight to the floor. Ogogo tries to slip in amidst the chaos, but he’s taken out with an Angel’s Wings from Daniels. Darius slingshots Bravo into an Ace Crusher from Dante. A sequence of everyone coming in and taking each other out concludes with Taylor giving Dante a haymaker into a schoolboy from Bravo at 11:28. This was a solid match until the completely needless interjection from the seconds. It felt like an ECW match. It also felt like Sky and Taylor were involved very little, which is strange unless they’re hurt. What action we did get was quite good, and I wonder if Top Flight and The Infantry in a straight tag match could steal a show. **¾

AEW National Championship
Ricochet vs. Dalton Castle

Ricochet has been AEW National Champion since 11.22.2025 and this is his first defense. This is Castle’s first singles match since returning from injury. Castle uses the Boys to bait Ricochet into a Gator roll. Castle splashes onto Ricochet’s lower back before applying a grounded waist lock. Castle splashes the back again before gut wrenching Ricochet twice and back elbowing him to the floor. Ricochet takes out his frustration by pump kicking a Boy on the floor. Castle chases after Ricochet into the ring. Ricochet snaps one of the ropes into Castle and then wipes him out with a Fosbury Flop. Ricochet attacks Castle’s lower back before taking him down in the corner and landing a pendulum dropkick. Ricochet is annoyed by Castle rolling to the floor each time he gets set up on the top turnbuckle. When Ricochet goes to stop him a third time, Castle Gator rolls Ricochet and uses Ricochet’s momentum to pull off a German suplex. Castle brings Ricochet out of the corner with a twisting facebuster for two. Ricochet escapes a Bang-A-Rang. He enzuigiri’s Castle into a lionsault for two. Ricochet also gets two with a running shooting star press. Castle ducks the Spirit Gun. He tries the Bang-A-Rang again. Ricochet reverses into a headscissors, and then cracks Castle with a pumping knee and a standing shiranui for two. Ricochet holds onto the top rope to avoid the Bang-A-Rang. They fight to the ring apron where Castle back suplexes Ricochet on the ring frame and then onto the floor. In the ring, he pulls off the Bang-A-Rang for two. Ricochet rolls to the floor and goes over to the Boys again. As Castle approaches, Ricochet throws one of the Boys to him. Castle makes sure the Boy is okay before entering the ring. When he does, Ricochet blasts him with a Shotei for the pin at 14:57. This was more of a Castle match than it was a Ricochet match, if that makes sense. I liked the story of Castle having the mental advantage over Ricochet, but his Achilles heel, his Boys, make him lose focus. They actually had people believing Castle could win which was shocking. It was also fun to see someone who was one time the top guy in Dragon Gate USA go up against someone who was the top guy in ROH around the same time all these years later. You might be disappointed if you’re expecting a more traditional Ricochet match, but I thought this was good. ***¼

ROH World Championship – 2025 Survival of the Fittest Match
Bandido vs. The Beast Mortos vs. Blake Christian vs. Hechicero vs. Komander vs. Sammy Guevara

Bandido has been champion since 4.6.2025 and this is his eighth defense. Christian was content stepping aside and allowing Mortos, Guevara, and Hechicero beat down Komander and Bandido. Eventually, the luchadore triumvirate turns their attention to Christian, who has to fight all three of them off by himself. As the luchadores celebrate their dominance over Vanilla Baby, Guevara superkicks Hechicero, officially ending his alliance with LFI. The alliance between Komander and Bandido remains strong, as the two of them take out the rest of the competition with dives to the floor. Their partnership leads to Guevara being eliminated at 11:24, with Bandido taking out the Spanish God with an X-knee, and Komander pinning him with El Cielito. After losing his partner, Mortos runs roughshod on the rest of the competitors. He’s cut off with an incredible springboard reverse Frankensteiner from Komander. Christian spikes Mortos with a skywalker Canadian Destroyer. Hechicero clears everyone out of the ring before spiking Mortos with a headscissors driver and pinning the Beast at 13:00. Hechicero takes out Komander with the Mad Scientist Bomb. He wheelbarrows Bandido into a cross armbreaker, and cradles Christian when Christian approaches to break the hold. Bandido and Komander look like they have a double dive in mind to take out Hechicero, but instead, Christian takes both Komander and Bandido out with a Frankensteiner, inadvertently leading to Komander giving Bandido a Spanish Fly. Christian takes out Hechicero with an Ace Crusher before pinning Komander with the Lethal Injection at 15:24. Jay Lethal, who Christian and Lee Johnson have been antagonizing since Death Before Dishonor, had been shown watching this match backstage earlier in the bout.

It appeared that Hechicero and Christian had formed an alliance against Bandido, but a schoolboy from Christian to an unsuspecting Hechicero ended that. Christian also accidentally helps Bandido pull off a Frankensteiner to Hechicero to the floor. Bandido tosses Christian chest first onto the floor while splashing Hechicero upon landing. Christian blocks the 21 Plex and scores a close nearfall on Bandido with the Lethal Injection. Christian goes for another Lethal Injection and ends up taken out with the X-knee. Hechicero rolls Christian up into a swinging backbreaker. Hechicero had Bandido in a sleeper in the ropes. As Christian approached, Hechicero muscled Bandido onto Christian, and Bandido pinned Christian with a Yoshi Tonic at 20:38. Christian angrily pummels and snaps Bandido’s shoulder, the same shoulder Hechicero popped out in Arena Mexico in October, before exiting. Hechicero wisely goes after Bandido’s arm from that point forward. Bandido counters a wheelbarrow into a reverse Frankensteiner. Bandido then headscissors Hechicero into a cradle to win the match at 27:53. They had some good stories going throughout with the uneasy pairings, LFI getting eliminated first, Christian getting revenge on Komander for last year’s Survival of the Fittest while also antagonizing Jay Lethal, and even the final pairing of Hechicero and Bandido, who had two terrific singles match earlier in the year. Unfortunately, the least interesting part of the match was when it came down to those two, as they just didn’t get a lot of intrigue or interest from the crowd as Hechicero wore down the champion. Then Bandido got a surprise cradle to end the match and it felt underwhelming after the stellar action that came before it. I can see why they went this route when RUSH was injured but I think a hot Bandido singles match, even if it was just a threematch against Hechicero, would’ve been preferable. ***½

We’re shown a video from earlier tonight, where backstage Mercedes Moné was still shaken by the loss of her TV Title. Someone off camera tries to re-assure her, stating that 12 belts isn’t so bad and that 13 may have been an unlucky number. Moné is not pleased. She also snaps at Leila Grey who ends up challenging her to an AEW TNT Title match the next night (and losing.)

ROH Women’s World Championship
Athena vs. Persephone

Athena has been the champion since 12.10.2022 and this is her thirty-third defense. She is wearing Demon Slayer inspired gear. Diamante is in Athena’s corner. Athena is not happy that Persephone is able to keep up with her move for move in the opening exchange. Athena looks to take control of Persephone on the floor, as she is wont to do in title bouts, but Persephone throws her into the barricades twice. Diamante stops Persephone from throwing Athena into the ring steps, and allows for Athena to surprise Persephone with a flying double knee facebreaker. Athena complains of her back hurting as she gets back into the ring. We see her back lock up when Saito suplexes Persephone out of the corner, though she still is able to pull it off. Athena also instinctively lands a back senton for a two count and nurses her back after the count. Persephone rolls away from a hip attack and another senton splash, and then gives the champ a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. Athena evades a crossbody. Persephone catches Athena’s springboard crossbody and delivers another backbreaker for two. Athena stops a charging Persephone with a waistlock roll-up. Persephone forearms Athena in the lower back after escaping her grasp. Back on the floor, Athena throws Persephone back first into the barricade. She misses a double knee strike against the barricades. Persephone slams Athena back first onto the announcer’s table out of a double throat grasp. Back in the ring they wipe each other out with stereo clotheslines. Athena finds an opening when Persephone headstands in the corner, positioning for double knees onto Athena on the second rope, instead superkicking Persephone to the floor. Athena suicide dives onto Persephone. When she tries a second time, Persephone catches Athena and gives her a fallaway slam on the floor. Persephone takes out Diamante on the floor as well. She comes off the top turnbuckle with a dropkick to Athena for two. Athena gets the ropes to escape Persephone’s modified cloverleaf submission. Athena Hot Shots Persephone as Persephone comes charging. She plants Persephone face first on the mat and pump kicks her in the side of the head before pulling off a moonsault press for two. Persephone blocks Athena’s pump handle facebuster. Athena however rolls Persephone up to her feet. Persephone holds onto the ropes and boots Athena in the mid-section. She tries for a Razor’s Edge, only to be pulled down into a Koji Clutch. Persephone muscles her way free and victory rolls Athena for two. Athena cartwheels out into a double knee drop onto Persephone’s mid-section. She reapplies the Koji Clutch, but Persephone gets her foot on the bottom rope to escape. Athena’s trash talking angers Persephone, who takes down the champion with two Northern Lights suplexes and a fallaway slam. Persephone spears the crap out of Athena. She pulls off the Razor’s Edge but only gets two. Persephone pummels and stomps Athena before climbing to the top rope. Athena brings down Persephone from the middle rope with a German suplex. Athena then lands the O-Face for the pin at 27:19. This was really good for a while and then just kept on going. They just did not fill all of their time in a captivating manner, and the crowd was once again fairly quiet. Persephone looked fantastic, and hopefully not just another person for Athena to have defeated in her never-ending title reign. For an Athena title match, this was around her usual high standard, on par with the Starkz match last year. ***¾

I looked back at my review from last year’s Final Battle. After Athena’s match, I wrote the following: “I really don’t know what Athena does next and I doubt they have any plans for her too.” One year later, I feel the exact same way.

Then I got to wondering, what is the plan for Ring of Honor at large? This March will be four years since Tony Khan has purchased the company, and it basically has been in a holding pattern since. Occasional changes occurred when they seemed poised to get ROH on television, and that seems less likely to happen now than it did before. Is ROH just AEW’s NXT now? With two winners from tonight (Ace Austin and Leila Grey) getting title matches the next night on AEW Collision, and them having a warm-up match for an AEW Title bout on this card, that does appear to be the case. Do AEW fans want ROH to be that? Do ROH fans want ROH to be that?

Overall I’d say this show was better than last year’s Final Battle but fell short of my expectations. It peaked early and ended fairly strong, with some ho hum stuff in the middle. Cherry pick if you want, but I really don’t think you’re missing out on anything if you skip the show entirely.