Salisbury, MD – 5.15.2026

Commentary is provided by Ian Riccaboni & Caprice Coleman.

Zero Hour

Sammy Guevara vs. Action Andretti

Visa delays have prevented The Beast Mortos from coming into the country, so no tag title defense tonight. Instead, the far less popular half of the tag champions is in action to fulfill their contractual obligation. Guevara refuses to shake Andretti’s hand to start, but after an impressive back and forth display, Guevara offers his hand. When he takes it away again, Andretti embarrasses Guevara by messing up his hair. Andretti then clotheslines Guevara to the floor and follows with a pair of suicide dives. Guevara cuts off his attempt at a third with a single-footed dropkick, and then follows him out to the floor with a corkscrew Fosbury Flop. Andretti superkicks Guevara to the opposite side of the ring and lands a tope con hilo. When Andretti springboards in, Guevara hip attacks him in mid-air for two. Guevara Samoan Drops Andretti, only for Andretti to crucifix pin him upon landing for two. Andretti also delivers a backflip stunner. Guevara rolls to the floor when Andretti goes to the top turnbuckle, but Andretti simply follows him out with a double jump Asai moonsault. A running shooting star press in the ring gets another two count. Guevara evades a split-legged moonsault, but Andretti takes him down with a Collision Course for two. Guevara gets his knees up to block a springboard splash. A back suplex into a neckbreaker then leads to the GBH, getting Guevara the pin at 11:29. The story here seemed so simple – Andretti wins, tries to get back in touch with Lio Rush to go after the tag titles, and their story goes from there. But no, let’s just have Sammy win and have the area favorite lose. Andretti looked awesome too. Fun, energetic match with a blah finish. ***

Guevara then introduces RUSH, who attacks Andretti on his way into the ring. Sure, add insult to injury.

RUSH vs. LSG

RUSH kicks away LSG’s hand instead of shaking it. He beats the piss out of him in the corner, to the point where the referee has to pull RUSH off of him. The Bull’s Horns gallows, getting RUSH the pin at 0:42. Hell yeah.

Shane Taylor Promotions is backstage. They issue an open challenge to anyone who isn’t Eddie Kingston, Ortiz, and Mance Warner to face them for the Six Man Tag Titles tonight.

Mina Shirakawa & Queen Aminata vs. Janai Kai & Lacey Lane

The Kick Demon, Janai Kai, got a taste of her own medicine with Shirakawa kicking her into a headscissors double knee strike from Aminata – repeatedly. Kai kicked Aminata upside the head, and with Lane landed a short barrage of kicks in response. Shirakawa cuts off Lane with a dragonscrew leg whip and puts her in a figure four leg lock. Aminata blasts Kai with a thrust kick to stop her from breaking the hold, but Aminata’s interjection ends up breaking the hold anyhow. Aminata and Kai trade kicks and strikes. Shirakawa and Lane get involved, and all four women end up lying. Kai lays out Aminata in the corner with another high kick, and Lane drives Shirakawa onto her with a Death Valley Driver. Aminata saves Shirakawa from being pinned after a barrage of offense from both opponents. Aminata ducked a double clothesline and Shirakawa wiped out Kai and Lane with a double dropkick. A pair of discus forearms, a high kick, and a back first from Shirakawa lead to her putting Kai back int he figure four leg lock. Aminata puts Lane in a cloverleaf to prevent her from interjecting, and Kai submits at 7:41. Both of these teams had instant chemistry and it would be wild for them not to use them again. These teams just beat the crap out of each other and it was super fun. ***

Jay Lethal and Lee Johnson are backstage. Johnson says tonight Blake Christian finally becomes ROH World Champion. Lethal claims he is a much better mentor to Christian and Johnson than Samoa Joe was to him. He wants to prove this to Joe and his newest protege, Anthony Bowens, tomorrow night on Collision in a tag team match. Gee, I wonder who will win that match.

The Rascalz (Dezmond Xavier & Myron Reed) vs. The Premier Athletes (Tony Nese & Ariya Daivari)

“Smart” Mark Sterling and Stori Denali are in the Premier Athletes’ corner and Zachary Wentz is in the Rascalz’s corner. Sterling says he hates the Rascalz because they partake in “the devil’s lettuce” and I love him. The Rascalz are all smiles as they dazzle Nese with impressive double team offense. Nese rakes Reed’s eyes and jabs him in the throat so he and Daivari can beat him down in their corner. Reed gets Xavier back in the ring and the double teaming resumes on Daivari. Sterling distracts them, and Reed chases after him, but Reed is taken out by a clothesline from Denali. The Athletes take back over on Xavier while Reed gains his bearings. Xavier roundhouse kicks Daivari. Reed and Nese tag in, with Reed taking out Nese with an axe kick on the middle rope and a jump-up enzuigiri. The Rascalz double superkick Nese and deliver a tandem slingshot neckbreaker. Daivari breaks up the pin. Nese gets two on Reed with a pumphandle powerslam. Daivari accidentally shoulder tackles Nese. Xavier takes out Daivari on the floor with a pescado. Nese Fosbury Flops onto Xavier and throws him back in the ring. Reed surprises Nese with Flame On, a leaping Ace Crusher off of the apron. Denali distracts Bryce Remsburg so Sterling can pull Reed off of the apron. Wentz prevents Sterling from hitting Reed with his arm sling, and Denali inadvertently assists Wentz with an apron assisted Ace Crusher on Sterling. In the ring, Reed dodges Daivari’s hammerlock clothesline. Nese crotches Xavier ont he top turnbuckle. He gamengiri’s Reed into Daivari’s hammerlock clothesline. Nese 450 splashes onto Reed, and Daivari lands the Magic Carpet Ride splash. Xavier gets it together in time to break up the pin with a Spiral Tap. Xavier backflip Pele kicks Nese to the floor. The Rascalz double superkick Daivari. A double stomp into a Burning Hammer gets The Rascalz the pin on Daivari at 11:23. Holy cow that was fun. Just nonstop action from bell to bell, with the characters on the outside enhancing the action rather than taking away from it. An awesome way to end the Zero Hour. ***½

Main Show

Pure Rules Match
Josh Woods vs. Nigel McGuinness

The Pure Rules can be found here. Christopher Daniels and Chris Hero are mentioned as judges. Both men are former Pure Champions, and both of them are looking for a win to justify a threematch against current Men’s Pure champion Lee Moriarty. Woods carries McGuinness to the corner. McGuinness grabs his ear as Woods is holding onto the top rope, and referee Mike Posey counts that as Woods’ first rope break. Woods doesn’t sweat it, instead Judo throws McGuinness to the mat. McGuinness uses his first rope break before Woods can lock in a top key lock, a move McGuinness used during his prime. Speaking of prime McGuinness, he starts attacking Woods’ left shoulder. Woods cradles McGuinness to halt his stride. McGuinness pokes Woods in the eyes and looks for the Tower of London. Woods counters with a sleeper hold, which McGuinness uses his second rope break to escape fast. We have a cute moment where McGuinness gets on commentary to mention that the match isn’t going how he wanted, Woods grabs a headset to say it’s going exactly as he thought, and Posey also gets on a headset to get them back in the ring. McGuinness angers Woods with another eye poke. He pulls woods into the ropes in a front facelock, resulting in Woods losing his second rope break. He then pulls him into the corner in a headlock, resulting in Woods losing his third and final rope break. Woods angrily throws McGuinness to the floor. He throws him back first into the barricades repeatedly. He repeatedly elbows McGuinness’s back and kidney inside the ring and uses the ropes for a backbreaker. McGuinness uses his third and final rope break to escape an ankle lock. McGuinness pulls Woods’ shoulder into the ropes before giving him the Tower of London off of the ring apron and to the floor! They get engaged in a forearm battle on the floor and bring it into the ring as Posey is about to reach the twenty count. They then knock each other down with stereo pump kicks. McGuinness brings Woods to the corner with throat thrusts before hitting a running European uppercut. Woods scoops McGuinness into the FYB/FYF to counter the Jawbreaker Lariat for two. McGuinness grabs the ropes when Woods puts him in an ankle lock but is reminded that he is out of breaks. He rolls forward to send Woods crashing into the middle turnbuckle. McGuinness looks for the London Dungeon on a dazed Woods. Woods upkicks McGuinness from the mat. It takes two tries, but the Jawbreaker Lariat gets McGuinness the pin at 14:53. It looks like Woods may have been knocked loopy during the ending there, because things got wacky. Until then, this was a really excellent match between the best Pure wrestler from the original ROH against one of the best from the SBG era. The subtitle could be “How Nigel Got His Groove Back”, as we saw all of the classic Nigel offense as well as his tendency to exploit the pure rules come into play during this match. This was a great way to start the PPV, rough ending aside. I hope Woods continues to be a key contributor in ROH. ***½

ROH Women’s World Television Championship
Red Velvet vs. Viva Van

Red Velvet has been champion since 12.5.2025 and this is her fifth defense. Velvet defeated Van all the way back on Episode 68 of ROH on HonorClub in June of 2024. They became more familiar with each other during a tour of CMLL in the Fall, including a tag match as partners that December. Velvet went for an arm submission, so Van attacked Velvet’s arm. Velvet comes back with a leg lariat, so Van attacks her leg. She specifically attacks Velvet’s knee and ankle before putting her in a Bow and Arrow stretch. Velvet chop blocks Van’s knee before hitting her with a tornado gamengiri. Velvet nurses her knee after connecting with the kick. Velvet antagonizes Van, telling her to show her that she wants to be champion, as they trade overhand chops and forearms on their knees. Velvet hobbles as she tries to make her way to the ropes, but Van instead German suplexes her to the corner. Velvet fights out of the Highway to Hell (Japanese Ocean Cyclone Suplex) and drives her knees into the back of Van’s neck. Van back fists Velvet, and Velvet comes back with a fist of her own, leading to a double pin. Both women get their shoulder up. Van ducks the Chef’s Kiss and blocks the low Diamond Dust. She drops Velvet with the Air Raid Crash for two. Van wants a super Highway to Hell, but Velvet counters into an Iconoclasm for two. More antagonizing from Velvet leads to Van giving Velvet a front facelock gutbuster for two. As Velvet fights out of Highway To Hell, Van converts into a sit-out powerbomb. She then muscles Velvet up into Highway To Hell again. Velvet victory rolls her way free for two and smashes Van with the Chef’s Kiss for the pin at 11:19. The Chef’s Kiss continues to serve Velvet well, winning four of her five defenses during this reign. Van stepped up her game and looked to have Velvet bested on multiple occasions. Van’s offense could use some tightening up, but she looks better each time I see her. ***

ROH World Television Championship
AR Fox vs. Lio Rush

AR Fox has been champion since 5.14.2026 and this is his first defense. I was surprised that these two have only wrestled three times before, the last time taking place ten years ago. Rush mows down Fox without shaking hands, a big difference from Rush who has continually asked for a handshake creepily the past few months. When Fox takes him down, Rush talks to himself saying we can’t let him do that. He knocks down Fox with a spin kick and another clothesline. He digs Fox’s throat into the bottom rope. Fox maneuvers his way to the apron where he trips Rush. He superkicks Rush onto the apron and flips over the top rope into a double stomp. He follows Rush to the floor with a kickflip moonsault. In the ring, Fox elbows Rush down into a seated position before trying the skin the cat dropkick. Rush blocks it with a Hot Shot. Fox clobbers Rush on the middle turnbuckle, though Rush bites his ear. Rush drives Fox’s ribs into the actual middle buckle and crossbody’s onto him on the floor. After throwing him into the barricades, Rush brings Fox back into the ring for a suplex. Fox uses the ropes for a DDT, floating into a corkscrew brainbuster for two. Action Andretti makes his way ringside to cheer on Lio Rush. Fox gets two with a roll-up Ace Crusher. Rush hits the ropes to trip Fox off of the top, but Fox rolls his way upon landing into another Ace Crusher, and then pulls up Rush into yet another Ace Crusher for two. Rush evades a 450 splash. He powerbombs and spears Fox for two. Two Come Ups and a suicide dive can’t keep Fox down. Rush goes back to biting Fox as Fox is seated on the top turnbuckle. Rush takes down Fox with a standing Spanish Fly and hits the Final Hour for a very close nearfall. Rush grabs the title belt and scurries to the top turnbuckle with it. Referee Stephon Smith pulls it out of his hands. Andretti then shoves Rush off of the top turnbuckle! Fox puts down Rush with the Foxcatcher and then pins him with the 450 Splash at 15:41. That felt like a more “mature” version of their match from yesteryear. The action was just as impressive, but well placed and positioned for maximum impact. It’s amazing how good they still are all of these years later. I don’t have a huge issue with the ending except for that it was for Fox’s first defense. Still, a heck of a match up until that point. ***¾

Lexi Nair is speaking with Sammy Guevara backstage. She confirms that he and Mortos will be able to defend their titles in Mexico next month. Before he teamed with LFI, Sammy says he was a singles star. This has him thinking about the AEW World Championship, and he challenges Darby Allin, a man he has defeated four times, to a match on Collision tomorrow. Gee, I wonder who will win that match.

ROH Women’s World Pure Championship
Deonna Purrazzo vs. Diamanté

Deonna Purrazzo has been champion since 12.5.2025 and this is her fourth defense. The Pure Rules can be found here. You can tell how heated this rivalry is, as Purrazzo stomps a mudhole into Diamanté, which is very different from the more sophisticated approach she tends to take. She also goes for the Queen’s Gambit early, which Diamanté avoids. After a powerbomb, she puts Diamanté in a Fujiwara armbar, and Diamanté uses her first rope break to escape. Diamanté pulls Purrazzo down and slams her leg into the apron repeatedly. She also dropkicks Purrazzo’s leg into the ring steps. Ian Riccaboni mentions Purrazzo’s knee may still be weakened from Gisele Shaw’s work at Global Wars Canada because he’s a pro. A standing ankle lock in the corner results in Purrazzo using her rope break, something that makes Purrazzo angry. Diamanté goes right back on the attack. She is issued a warning by referee Bryce Remsburg for using a closed fist, which Diamanté literally shrugs off. Diamanté traps Purrazzo’s leg in the top turnbuckle and dropkicks her to the floor. She lets Purrazzo use her own energy to crawl back into the ring and attacks the knee as soon as she does. Purrazzo out of the corner manages to drop a knee across Diamanté’s shoulder. She lands repeated uppercuts before going for another Fujiwara armbars. Diamanté rolls up Purrazzo, and Purrazzo pump kicks Diamanté after kicking out. Diamanté puts on her own Fujiwara armbar, which Purrazzo rolls out of. She uses a closed fist of her own to daze Diamanté, and Bryce Remsburg gives her a warning. Purrazzo then uses the ropes to score an elevated DDT. She elbows Diamanté in the face as she applies the Fujiwara armbar. Diamanté uses her second rope break to escape. Diamanté pulls Purrazzo by her hair into a reverse front facelock. Diamanté reverses her into an armbar, and when Diamanté escapes that, Purrazzo hits the Queen’s Gambit for two. Diamanté flips off Purracco as she tries to get to her feet and slaps Purrazzo in the face. Purrazzo responds with a slap and a Ganso Bomb. She locks on the Venus De Milo. Diamanté tries to resist but taps out at 13:01. That was a great example of a Pure Rules grudge match. Very intense striking and submissions, and utilizing the closed fists intentionally but wisely. It felt different from the rest of Deonna’s defenses in a good way, and Diamanté played her role perfectly. ***¼

Action Andretti explains himself backstage. He was willing to give Rush the space to heal, but ultimately, Rush forgot about him. He was discarded when he was trying to do the right thing. It made him question everything but also awakened something in him. He says CRU is done. That would be crazy if he attacked Rush and said “oh by the way we’re still a team.”

ROH Pure Championship
Lee Moriarty vs. Ace Austin

Moriarty has been champion since 7.26.2024 and this is his fifteenth defense. The Pure Rules can be found here. When Austin gets Moriarty on his shoulders, Moriarty grabs his arm for a submission, and Austin hurriedly uses his first rope break to get Moriarty away. Moriarty grabs his arm again, and this time, Austin pulls him into a backbreaker. Austin also snapmares his way out of a chicken wing and Magistral cradles Moriarty for two. Austin utilizes a Muta Lock. Instead of grabbing the ropes, Moriarty manipulates Austin’s fingers to escape. Moriarty spins him into another chickenwing attempt. Austin backs Moriarty to the corner while he looks at the ropes. Moriarty comes back with a Sling Blade. Moriarty uses his feet to twist Austin’s neck. Moriarty puts him in a straightjacket choke, which Austin reverses. Moriarty counters that into an Octopus Stretch where he twists Austin’s fingers yet again. Moriarty pushes Austin hand first into the ropes, resulting in Austin losing his second rope break. Austin rolls Moriarty into a Koji Clutch. Moriarty uses his first rope break to escape. Moriarty controls Austin by his wrist until Austin takes him down with a clothesline and back suplex. Moriarty falls into the ropes to avoid The Fold. He goes to the apron where he jams Austin’s arm across the top rope. Moriarty’s springboard forearm leads to the Border City Stretch. Austin rolls his way out and small packages Moriarty for two. Austin trips Moriarty into a grapevine pin. Moriarty has to use his second rope break to escape. Austin places himself on the middle turnbuckle to dodge a corner attack. Moriarty places him in an armbar inside of those ropes, taking away Austin’s third and final rope break. Moriarty then gets a two count with FANG! Austin comes back with a springboard tornado kick. Moriarty counters the Fold into a bodyscissors hammerlock. Austin grabs the ropes so he can power out, dumping Moriarty to the floor. Back in the ring, Austin gets two with the House of Cards. Moriarty uses his third and final rope break to escape another Koji Clutch. Moriarty turns an O’Connor Roll into a crossface chicken wing. Austin makes his way to his feet, so Moriarty traps him in a European Clutch and holds onto the ropes to get the pin at 16:06. This was a trial by fire for Austin, who learned the Pure Rules quickly and excelled. After using his first rope break so fast, he saw the value in holding onto them and worked to fight out of submissions on his own when possible. He also placed Moriarty in positions where the champion had practically no choice but to spend his rope breaks to continue on. I appreciate that Pure Wrestling was featured so heavily on this show, and how all three matches were very different stories. ***½

Red Velvet is backstage. She says retaining her title felt good, but not being in the Owen Hart Cup tournament does not. She’s angry at being excluded, but it does motivate her. She decides to answer another tournament competitor, Willow Nightingale’s, open challenge for tomorrow night on Collision. Gee, I wonder who will win that match.

Lexy Nair then interviews Jordan Oliver and Alec Price in the entrance way. Oliver says they will be first in line for the tag titles whenever they can be defended again. Price then issue an open challenge to any team. If anyone is feeling froggy, they can jump. The Kingdom of Matt Taven and Mike Bennett then make their way out. Bennett says they say “ribbit, ribbit” in response to Price’s challenge. Taven says ROH is their kingdom, and if they want to come for the king, they best not miss. If they want their ROH Tag Titles, they have to go through the OGK. He wishes them luck, because they’re definitely going to need it. Both teams then shake hands. Great to see OGK back in ROH.

ROH World Six Man Tag Team Championship
Shane Taylor Promotions (Shane Taylor, Carlie Bravo & Shawn Dean) vs. Dalton Castle & The Outrunners (Truth Magnum & Turbo Floyd)

Shane Taylor Promotions have been champions since 8.29.2025 and this is their sixth defense. Anthony Ogogo and Christyan XO are in STP’s corner. Castle and The Outrunners are on an eleven match winning streak as a trio in ROH, so that’s plenty to justify them as credible contenders. Dean fights his way out of an early Bang-A-Rang. Bravo knees Castle in his previously broken back from the apron as he hits the ropes. Castle quickly tags in Magnum. He absorbs a number of chops from Bravo and dishes them right back. Dean pulls Bravo out of the corner so that Magnum crashes and burns on a corner splash. Bravo then takes out MAgnum with a slingshot Ace Crusher. Magnum is assaulted on the apron, including a sternum slam, a splash, and a leg drop. Magnum is worn down for a long time by the champions until he flips over a double backdrop attempt from the Infantry and falls into a tag to Floyd. During this beatdown, Castle was taken out on the floor with a knee from Taylor into the barricades. Floyd dishes out bodyslams to the Infantry. Taylor cuts off the Outrunners handshake and wipes out Floyd with a haymaker. Dean’s BBC rocks Floyd as well. With Castle out, STEP knock Magnum off of the apron so Floyd can’t tag out after a lengthy beatdown. Magnum uses Taylor’s momentum of a missed corner splash to give him a bodyslam. Castle crawls his way up to the apron and accepts a tag from Magnum. The former World champion throws around the Infantry and even German suplexes Taylor. He lifts up Taylor for Bang-A-Rang. Taylor grabs the ropes to escape. XO distracts Castle, allowing the Infantry to mob him from behind. The Infantry punch Castle into Taylor’s Marcus Garvey Driver. The Outrunners break up the pin, but are thrown back out to the floor. They pull the Infantry down and crotch them into the ring posts to stop Boot Camp. Castle back elbows Taylor before dropping him with Bang-A-Rang. The Outrunners punctuate with the Running Hot double elbow for the pin and the titles at 17:46. I am very happy with this title change but the match went WAY too long. Two extended heat segments on the Outrunners make for a good comeback story but a tedious watch at this point in the show. With a pair of fresher eyes I may have enjoyed this more, but again, I am delighted by the outcome. ***

Shane Taylor Promotions continue to attack The Outrunners and Castle after the match until Orange Cassidy and Mark Briscoe run them off. Anthony Ogogo goes face-to-face with Cassidy but ends up clobbered with a chair by Briscoe.

AEW National Championship
Mark Davis vs. Xelhua

Mark Davis has been champion since 5.9.2026 and this is his first defense. We can hear the producer coming through the broadcast feed, which is distracting. Davis manhandles Xelhua with slams and back drops. Xelhua bemuses and humiliates the champion with his unorthodox offense and counters. When Xelhua does try a bodyslam, it ends with Davis falling on him in a lateral press. Davis threatens to take off Xelhua’s mask as he’s on the top turnbuckle but Xelhua instead jams Davis’ arm onto the top rope. Xelhua almost gets the pin with a Northern Lights suplex. He seems to have the champ rocked after ten punches in the corner, but a jump-up enzuigiri from Davis turns things back around. Xelhua snaps Davis’ ankle and twists on his heel until he crawls to the ropes. Mark Davis gives Xelhua a surprise piledriver for two. Davis hits a release suplex off the top turnbuckle and blasts Xelhua with a right hand for two. Xelhua pulls off a bodyslam after a few more strikes. Xelhua misses a senton off the second rope. Davis puts him down with a lariat at 14:14. This was competently wrestled and had an especially good last few minutes. It was also a match for nobody. AEW fans aren’t going to be bothered to watch this. ROH fans don’t really care about this title. CMLL fans probably won’t seek this out. So why bother? ***

Lexy Nair talks to Shane Taylor Promotions backstage. They challenge the Conglomeration to a match on Collision. Gee, I wonder who will win that match.

ROH World Championship – 2025 Survival of the Fittest Match
Bandido vs. Blake Christian

Bandido has been champion since 4.6.2025 and this is his ninth defense. Christian comes into this match 15-0 in singles matches since August 2024 (638 days). On January 1st, Jay Lethal attacked Bandido during a tag team match against The Swirl, and Christian stole Bandido’s mask. Since then, Christian has been taunting Bandido with the mask, most recently attacking and taking out Alec Price with the 21 Plex while wearing the mask. Christian also snapped Bandido’s shoulder during the Survival of the Fittest match at Final Battle 2025. Jay Lethal and Lee Johnson are in Christian’s corner.

Christian flips off Bandido instead of obeying the Code of Honor. Bandido points his finger gun at Christian’s head after they reach a stalemate from flips. Christian sends Bandido to the floor with a headscissors. Bandido responds with a Frankensteiner and follows up with a suicide dive. Johnosn distracts the referee as Lethal looks to get involved. Bandido fights him off, but it does allow for Johnson to chop block Bandido’s knee and take him out with a Fosbury Flop. Christian slams Bandido’s knee into the floor before bringing him back into the ring, where he continues his attack. Lethal grabs Bandido’s leg when he ascends the ropes. He’s caught, so the referee Brandon Martinez ejects both Lethal and Johnson. Bandido enzuigiri’s Christian onto both of them, but Christian slides back into the ring as Bandido tope con hilo’s out onto his partners. Christian takes down Bandido with a rolling Death Valley Driver as he re-enters the ring. Christian attacks Bandido’s left arm before going to the top turnbuckle. Bandido rolls all the way to the opposite side of the ring, so Christian jumps down and stomps away at the champion. He kneeDT’s Bandido before going back up the turnbuckles. Bandido again gets up in the corner. Christian traps him in a tree of woe, where he double stomps Bandido down to the mat. Bandido catches Christian coming off the ropes into a one-handed press slam position. Christian counters into a triangle choke, in which Bandido powerbombs his way free. Christian grabs a kimura in the corner. Bandido frees himself with Snake Eyes and lands a corkscrew press. Bandido gets two with a running knee strike. Christian blocks the 21 Plex and rolls up into a frog splash onto Bandido. Bandido evades a 450 splash. Christian rolls through and dragonscrew leg whips Bandido. He rolls Bandido up, but Bandido turns that momentum into a suplex.

Christian flips off Bandido from the apron. Bandido uses the ropes to bring Christian up into a pair of Northern Lights suplexes. Christian pulls the referee in the way to halt Bandido. He shoves Bandido to the floor and comes through the middle turnbuckle with a satellite DDT! Back in the ring, Christian hits the Lethal Injection for two. Christian brings Bandido onto the announcer’s table. It backfires as Bandido gives him a suplex onto the table, though the table does not break. Back in the ring, Bandido hits the 21 Plex for two. Christian counters a super fallaway slam with a reverse spike Frankensteiner! He immediately follows up with a 450 Splash but only gets two. Christian goes for the 21 Plex. Bandido pushes Christian to the ring apron and looks to muscle him in with a suplex. When Christian resists, Bandido readjusts and successfully brings him in with a middle rope suplex. Christian gets his knees up to block a shooting star press. Bandido dropkicks Christian out of mid-air to block Christian’s crossbody. Christian is dazed as Bandido lights him up with forearms and open-handed strikes. Christian stops him with a superkick and pump knee. Bandido turns Christian inside out with a clothesline after evading the Lethal Injection. Christian superkicks Bandido to stop the 21 Plex. Bandido counters another Lethal Injection into the X-knee, and Christian takes down Bandido with a Spanish Fly for two. Christian grabs the ROH World Title and smirks. He brings it into the ring despite the referee’s warning. The referee stops him from using it as a weapon, but as the referee disposes of it, Christian low blows Bandido! He double stomps Bandido but only gets two. Bandido stops Christian’s Frankensteiner attempt, countering into a Styles Clash. He then hits the deadlift 21 Plex for the pin at 26:06. I truly thought this was Christian’s time, to let Bandido’s exit ROH and be fully engrossed in AEW. The quality of the bout would have made it perfectly fine for Christian to have done so as well. But as much as I dislike Bandido going without a title defense for so long, when he does have a defense, he brings the goods. It was a struggle for him, but few are as tenacious. It was another high quality bout from the champion who I hope will defend at least a few times before the next PPV. ****

After the match, Swerve Strickland attacks Bandido, ahead of their Owen Hart tournament match in AEW, taking him out with the House Call and a Cop Killa onto a steel chair. Gee, I wonder who is going to win that match.

ROH Women’s World Championship – 2026 Survival of the Fittest Elimination Match
Athena vs. Billie Starkz vs. Yuka Sakazaki vs. Trish Adora vs. Maya World vs. Zayda Steel

Athena has been the champion since 12.10.2022 and this is her thirty-sixth defense. Athena has previously defeated Starkz (twice), Sakazaki, and World in World title singles bouts, and Adora and Steel in Proving Ground bouts. All of them won qualifying bouts to gain entry into this bout, and I really like that they tell you who they defeated to qualify in their respective chyrons. Bliz sings Zayda Steel to the ring, and she has Christopher Daniels in her corner.

Athena throws Starkz to the floor and tells her to stick to the plan – let the other “dumb bitches” fight. That does not sit well with the rest of them. During the melee, Athen asks Starkz if they’re on the same page now, and she acquiesces to help with a double suplex on Steel. That does not go to plan, as Steel instead suplexes them both and pitches Starkz to the floor. Steel throws a chair at Athena’s head and declares the show “hers.” She is hoisted by her own petard, ending up taking a face full of chair in the corner. Athena rolls her up for the pin and puts her feet on the ropes, eliminating Steel at 5:01. Athena looks to use the chair on Sakazaki, but is stopped by World and a kendo stick. Sakazaki then uses the chair on Athena. Starkz uses another chair to attack Sakazaki, and Adora attacks World before using the kendo stick on her. Athena sets up a collection of set up steel chairs on the floor while the other four competitors fight amongst themselves. Starkz pulls out a table and sets it up right in front of the announcer’s table. World’s dive to the outside is cut off with a chair shot from Athena. Athena tries to make a pact with Adora, but it goes wrong when Adora slaps her in the face. Adora chokeslams Athena off of the ring apron through all of the chairs she had set up! Starkz puts Adora onto the announcer’s table. Adora ends up giving Starkz a Death Valley Driver onto the table, which once again, does not break. Athena ends up on the table Starkz had set up, and Sakazaki puts Athena through it with the Magical Girl Splash! Sakazaki brings Athena back into the ring, but Adora surprises her with a schoolgirl. She looks for the Lariat Tubman and ends up knocking out Athena! Sakazaki superkicks Adora and gives her a spin out slam onto her face, pinning Adora at 15:39. Sakazaki hits a trashcan assisted Magical Girl Splash on Athena. Starkz saves Athena from being pinned. Starkz then pins Sakazaki with a super Pedigree at 17:27. Starkz gets a very close two count on World with a Destroyer. Athena and Starkz batter World with kendo sticks. Athena then brings a ladder out from under the ring. They set up the ladder in one corner of the ring. As Starkz and World are fighting on the top turnbuckle, Athena strikes Starkz! World brings Starkz down with a super sunset bomb and eliminates her at 21:47. With just World left, Athena looks to strike her with the World title. World ducks and instead DDT’s Athena on the ring apron for two. World gives her a Black Tornado Slam for another two count. Athena grabs the ropes as World has her in an ankle lock, but referee Mike Posey says rope breaks don’t count. Billie Starkz contemplates throw in in the towel for Athena, but Athena instead pulls her into the ring. World takes out Starkz, but Athena gives her a one-armed powerbomb onto a pile of chairs. Athena hits World with a chair as she lay on the mat. Athena then climbs up the ladder, stepping over Starkz. Athena delivers an O-Face from off the second to last rung 26:12.

While I appreciate the hardcore approach they took to differentiate themselves from all of the other matches on the card, this was so messy. Some weapon shots were really unconvincing (weak) or mistimed. It disrupted the flow at several points, but also produced some really cool moments, mostly from Sakazaki and the ending. The towel throw was a complete whiff. I get that Starkz is her “Second” and in the same group, but she is also a competitor in the match. Couldn’t she have theoretically thrown it in the second the match started, or only when she was eliminated? Why was this never brought up before now? Absolutely ridiculous. A very disappointing way to end the night. **½ 

Like every ROH PPV, it was mostly good but way too long. A lot of good performances, and way too much promoting of AEW events. It’s probably worth watching the first five matches and the Men’s World title defense, which is the majority of the show, at least. I just wonder when we’re going to pull the trigger on these people they’ve been quietly building for years now.