On April 12, 2025, Tony Khan introduced the ROH Women’s Pure Championship title after an AEW Collision taping. The title was set to be crowned at Supercard of Honor on May 2nd. It seemed like there just simply would not be enough time to get the tournament done by then, but at the time, they confirmed a singles match between Queen Aminata and Serena Deeb for the first round, and that Deonna Purrazzo, Taya Valkyrie, and Leile Grey would participate. Supercard of Honor ended up being moved to July 11th. Billie Starkz was added to the tournament on May 23rd. Supercard of Honor came and went with no word on this title. Suddenly, it was announced that the tournament would begin at Death Before Dishonor. Everybody originally announced remained in the tournament except for Grey, and the first round match of Aminata vs. Deeb would also be changed.

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.

ROH Women’s World Pure Title Tournament Quarterfinal Round Match
Queen Aminata vs. Taya Valkyrie
ROH Death Before Dishonor 2025 – Philadelphia, PA – 8.29.2025

The judges for this match are Christopher Daniels, Dean Malenko and Jerry Lynn, who are watching from the back. These two also met in the quarterfinals of the Women’s TV title tournament, in which Aminata was victorious. 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. ***

ROH Women’s World Pure Title Tournament Quarterfinal Round Match
Billie Starkz vs. Olympia
ROH on HonorClub #134 – Philadelphia, PA – 9.25.2025

The judges for this match are Chris Hero, Dean Malenko and Jerry Lynn, who are watching from the back. Starkz was the winner of the ROH Women’s Television Title tournament last year. She defeated Ashley Vox in a Pure Rules match at “Death Before Dishonor”, while Olympia defeated Viva Van in a Pure Rules match last month. Starkz gets so frustrated with Olympia, as Starkz finds it impossible to free herself from her arm holds, that Starkz spends her first rope break to escape. Olympia plants her with a sit-out powerbomb for two. Starkz goes to the ropes again when Olympia unloads with strikes while they’re on the mat. Starkz pokes Olympia in the eyes, and for some reason isn’t issued a warning. Karma gets her as she crashes and burns on a suicide dive attempt. Back in the ring, Starkz kicks out from a springboard splash. Starkz captures Olympia’s own leg in the middle rope which costs Olympia her first rope break. Starkz then successfully lands a suicide dive and punctuates it by throwing Olympia into the barricades twice. She throws Olympia’s legs into the ring post. Olympia inside cradles Starkz to block a suplex. She rolls up to her feet and shotgun dropkicks Starkz to the corner. Olympia headstands into a Bronco Buster in the corner for two. Olympia also skins the cat into a Bronco Buster for two. Olympia press slams Starkz for two. Olympia puts Starkz in a modified sharpshooter. Starkz uses a closed-fist to escape and is issued a warning by referee Mike Posey. Starkz drops Olympia with an Ushigoroshi for two. Olympia pulls Starkz off of the top rope into a press slam position, Starkz slips behind and traps her in a crucifix pin, picking up the win at 10:46. Starkz using nefarious means to win the match is fitting since she did the same thing to win the TV title tournament. Olympia was quite impressive and won over the crowd with her athletic prowess. It is a bit of a shame she didn’t make it past round one. Hopefully we’ll see her again soon. ***

ROH Women’s World Pure Title Tournament Quarterfinal Round Match
Deonna Purrazzo vs. Trish Adora
ROH on HonorClub #140 – Houston, TX – 11.6.2025

Thirteen seconds into the match, Purrazzo intentionally nails Adora with a closed-fist and is given a warning. Adora comes back with a pump kick, and also sits down on Purrazzo’s shoulder while she stretches out both of her arms in a handlebar position. Purrazzo counters a suplex by throwing Adora shoulder first into the mat. Purrazzo stomps the arm into the mat from the second rope. She rolls Adora into a fujiwara armbar, which Adora uses her first rope break to escape. Purrazzo headbutts Adora to escape a double knuckle lock and get a two count. Adora pulls off a kneeling German suplex for two. Adora also pulls off a brainbuster for two. Purrazzo ducks Lariat Tubman, so Adora tries again. This time, Purrazzo intercepts and puts Adora back in a Fujiwara armbar. She pummels Adora’s face before locking in the Venus De Milo, resulting in Adora verbally submitting at 7:02. A little shorter than I expected but good. Purrazzo’s decision to get in her “free” closed-fist paid off, as Adora had to play catch up the entire match and never did catch up to The Virtuosa. This also gives us a submission to keep our eyes peeled for in Purrazzo’s subsequent match(es). **½

ROH Women’s World Pure Title Tournament Quarterfinal Round Match
Serena Deeb vs. Yuka Sakazaki
ROH on HonorClub #143 – Boston, MA – 11.28.2025

The first rope break occurs when Deeb uses it to escape an ankle lock from Sakazaki quickly. She throws Deeb to the mat by her shoulder. Deeb locks Sakazaki’s hammerlocked arm in between her feet and twists to add pressure. Deeb maneuvers Sakazaki into a knee strike in the corner, leading to a neckbreaker on the middle rope. Sakazaki counters a grounded octopus stretch from Deeb into a handlebar stretch. Deeb uses her second rope break to free herself. Deeb then uses the rope to roll back and put Sakazaki in a handlebar stretch while digging her knee into Sakazaki’s shoulder blades. Sakazaki maneuvers herself so she can use her first rope break. Deeb attacks Sakazaki’s left knee. Sakazaki retreats to the ropes and side steps running double knees from Deeb. Sakazaki pendulum dropkicks Deeb from the apron, much to the crowd’s delight, before pulling off a missile dropkick. Sakazaki suplexes Deeb for a two count. Sakazaki puts Deeb in a STF, and Deeb uses her third and final rope break to escape. Deeb grabs a front chancery to block a suplex attempt and drops Sakazaki with a swinging neckbreaker. She aggressively dragon screw leg whips Sakazaki. Deeb pulls Sakazaki up to the middle rope, only for Sakazaki to bring her down with a superplex. Deeb uppercuts and pie faces Sakazaki as they get to their feet. Sakazaki removes her elbow pads and throws them out before blasting Deeb repeatedly with elbow strikes. Deeb blocks a discus clothesline and German suplexes Sakazaki. Sakazaki ducks a hammerlock clothesline with a roll-up. Sakazaki dumps Deeb on her head with a Snow Plow. Deeb gets her knees up to block the Magical Girl Splash and cradles Sakazaki for two. Sakazaki rolls through a backslide. Deeb looks for the Detox. Sakazaki crescent kicks Deeb and then slams her face first while she has a hammerlock applied. Deeb gets her foot on the bottom rope during Sakazaki’s pin, but since she has no rope breaks left, the three count goes through and Sakazaki wins the match at 10:31. It’s been a while since the lack of rope breaks cost someone the match via pinfall, and I love how it was utilized here. Sakazaki and Deeb had a more intense, hard-hitting bout than we’ve seen from the rest of the tournament, and it stood out as something special. I think Sakazaki would be an awesome first champion. ***½

Unfortunately, Queen Aminata suffered a neck injury, and is not medically cleared to wrestle. She tells Deonna Purrazzo backstage that she was looking forward to wrestling her, but her neck is not something she is willing to risk. Aminata tells Deonna that Tony Khan has granted her request to forfeit the match, and Deonna will receive a bye into the finals. Deonna says this is not how she wanted to get to the finals, but she will defeat whoever wins the semifinal match, and that she will be waiting for Aminata when she is healed. It sucks, and you could argue that they could have put in a replacement, but it is what it is. Such is the nature of filming a tournament in such a prolonged period of time. I at least appreciate that they had Deonna take the bye with grace.

ROH Women’s World Pure Title Tournament Semifinal Round Match
Billie Starkz vs. Yuka Sakazaki
ROH on HonorClub #144 – 12.4.2025

Starkz pushes Sakazaki to the ropes in a waistlock, choking her against the top rope. This counts as Sakazaki’s first rope break. Sakazaki dizzies Starkz in a Manami Roll for two. On the floor, Sakazaki sends Starkz face first into the ring post. Starkz superkicks Sakazaki before Sakazaki is about to springboard back into the ring. Starkz puts Sakazaki in a sleeper in the ropes, which referee Mike Posey does not count as a rope break for either competitor. Starkz clothesline Sakazaki in the corner before planting her with a DDT. As Starkz resists taking a suplex, she finds herself backed into the ropes. This results in her using her first rope break. Starkz clobbers Sakazaki with a closed fist and is warned. Sakazaki rolls Starkz into a sliding clothesline. Starkz comes back with a butterfly suplex for two. Sakazaki puts her foot on the bottom rope to avoid a crossface chicken wing., using her second rope break. Sakazaki rocks Starkz with strikes before planting her with a Snow Plow. Starkz uses her second rope break to escape an ankle lock. Starkz throws Sakazaki off of the top turnbuckle. Starkz misses a Swanton Bomb, and Sakazaki quickly gets to the top turnbuckle and delivers a splash for two. Starkz kicks out Sakazaki’s leg to block the Magic Girl Splash. Starkz pulls Sakazaki into the ring and into an Ushigoroshi. Starkz snaps back on Sakazaki’s leg while she has the calf twisted. Sakazaki grabs hold of Starkz’ leg and applies pressure as well. The damage results in both women using their third and final rope break to escape each other’s grasp. Sakazaki dropkicks Starkz’ leg out from under her. She forearms Starks to the ropes. Starkz schoolgirl trips Sakazaki. She pins Sakazaki while also placing her own legs on the ropes to score the fall at 10:43. I think not having a second semifinal took some juice out of this for me. Like her match with Deeb, Sakazaki brought freshness to this bout, and Starkz using nefarious means to win again gives us something to keep our eyes on in the finals. I also liked them losing their last rope break at the same time. Not sure that has occurred before. ***

ROH Women’s World Pure Title Tournament Final Round Match
Deonna Purrazzo vs. Billie Starkz
ROH Final Battle 2025 – Columbus, OH – 12.5.2025

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.

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 yet legal 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, and Purrazzo arguably bent the rules too by using the announcer’s desk as a weapon. This was a good tournament final and good way to open the PPV proper. ***½

There’s a pretty easy argument about ROH and AEW having too many titles. I do think that pure wrestling matches help make ROH stand out from AEW, and they have a really great roster of people who can make them valuable. Generally speaking, this was a good not great tournament. Most of the matches were filmed in front of fans who paid for AEW tickets and left early too. But when you see these kinds of matches on dedicated ROH shows, such as the finals, the crowd digs them and is reflected in the matches too. I am looking forward to a good first reign from Deonna.