ROH On HonorClub starts … NOW!
The show opened with ROH Women’s Champion Athena firing up her tag partner and seemingly new Minion, Diamante. Billie Starkz was there as well and Athena made it very clear that the MiT Program needed some new blood and that Starkz might not be around much longer.
Dark Panther defeated Okumura
Panther tried to fire up the crowd off the top, but Okomura came charging out of the corner after the bell, laying him out with a clothesline. Okomura, a CMLL veteran wrestled a Japanese style, which kept the match speed low and Panther, confused.
Panther changed the course of the match with a big dropkick and tossed Okomura to the outside before following him with a springboard splash from the top rope. Panther knows a thing or two about hitting ahrd and he was able to match Okomura’s strength, blow for blow. It was only when the match slowed down that Panther seemed vulnerable.
Panther dropped his straps as “fight forever” chants broke out. After two suicide dives onto Okomura on the outside, Panther allowed the crowd to goad him into a third which drove Okomura into the barricade. Back in the ring, Okomura turned the tables with an attempted leg hold submission, but Panther was able to roll him onto his shoulders and pick up a quick victory!
Six Man Tag Team Match: The Sons Of Texas (Dustin Rhodes & Sammy Guevara) & Willie Mack defeated Johnny TV & MxM Collection (Mansoor & Mason Madden)
Mack and TV kicked things off making me yearn for the days of Lucha Underground (which I do pretty much daily). Mack can move like he’s 100lbs lighter than he is so he hand TV were able to have a really fun exchange before Guevara tagged in. TV blocked a big chop and set Guevera on his butt to tag in Mansoor. Mdden went with him for a double team, but Guevara took them both out with a moonsault.
Rhodes tagged in and he and Guevara delivered double uppercuts to Mansoor. Madden hit Rhodes from behind though, giving Mansoor an opening for another double team. Madden and Mansoor put Rhodes’ head in between their butts and knocked him back and forth before TV tagged in. Rhodes, now isolated took punishment from all three in the corner.
Rhodes hit a snap powerslam on Mansoor and hot tags were landed on both sides of the ring, bringing Guevara in to face TV. Mack jumped in and took out Mansoor and Madden, but fell victim to TV’s kicking feet. Rhodes hit a Texas Destroyer and set up Mansoor for some Shattered Dreams.
Madden them tried to clean house, but Mack stopped him. Mack hit a standing moonsault on Madden and Guevara landed a GTH on TV to get the pin and the victory for his team.
After the match, Mansoor and Madden knocked the Tag Champs out of the ring and beat up Mack. TV joined the fun with a Starship Pain and then pretended to pin Mack. Mansoor counted three and madden stole one of the title belts again.
Athena & Diamante defeated Jordan Blu & Mazzerati
Diamante started off against Mazzerati and then Blu. Every time she knocked down an opponent, she turned to Athena for approval and offered her the chance to come in and finish them off. Athena declined and instead shouted instructions from the corner. Mazzerati got in a little bit of offense, but Diamante easily deflected it. Diamante took on both women two-on-one before Athena tagged in.
Athena laid out Mazzerati with a big ol’ punch to the face and pinned her to get the victory without having to break a sweat thanks to Diamante.
Next, Footage was shown from AEW Collision where ROH World Champion Chris Jericho taunted and enraged Bandito, setting up a title match between the two. Jericho cut a promo and declared that he wants Bandito’s mask, so their match will be Title For Mask at AEW Dynasty.
The Premier Athletes (Ariya Daivari & Tony Nese) defeated The Dark Order (Alex Reynolds & Evil Uno)
As the Premier Athletes did their schtick in the ring, The Frat House (Cole Karter, Griff Garrison, Preston Vance and Jakked Jameson) were shown watching from the crowd at ringside. Daivari went over and “cheers’ed” the Frat House who chanted “Dark Order Sucks!”
Nese and Daivari jumped Uno and Reynolds off the bell, but The Dark Order got the best of them with double running splashes in the corner. I mean, corners. Things settled down briefly after that, with Reynolds and Nese battling in the ring. Nese sent Reynolds to the outside where Daivari and Sterling stomped him.
Nese and Daivari tagged in and out, beating on Reynolds until he was finally able to battle back, but Nese took out Uno on the outside, so there was no one there to take the tag. The Frat House cheered loudly at ringside, leading duelling “Athletes Rule! Athletes Suck!” chants with the crowd.
Finally, Uno was able to tag in and began clearing house, hitting a double DDT on Nese and Daivari. Reynolds came back in for a Gory Special, but Nese broke up the pin. Daivari and Reynolds traded blows in the ring, with Reynolds sending Daivari to the outside and hitting both him and Nese with a dive.
Then, the Frat House threw a drink on Reynolds, hoping to cause a distraction. Reynolds didn’t fall for it though and tossed Nese at them as revenge. Back in the ring, Reynolds had Daivari pinned, but Sterling caused a distraction and the ref didn’t see it. Vance hopped the rail and knocked out Reynolds, allowing Daivari to get the pin and the stolen victory for the Premier Athletes. The Frat House then joined them in the ring, shaking hands with Sterling. Perhaps this is the beginning of a new supergroup?
Up next, Renee Paquette talked to QT Marshall. Marshall threw a drink on Paul Walter Hauser at the AEW Revolution pre-show and Hauser, who has been sober for three years, was not impressed. He wants a match. Marshall said that Hauser is way overblowing it and doesn’t deserve a match until Hauser has the guts to ask him personally.
Queen Aminata defeated Viva Van
Aminata, rocking her best Beyonce hair, exchanged wristlocks with Van until finally twisting her into an armbar. After getting out, Van ran the ropes and got Aminata into an armbar of her own. Aminata was able to get a leg on the ropes though and it was broken up.
Aminata then brought the strikes, hitting and kicking Van until she didn’t know which way was up. Aminata then threw her into the ropes, but Van bounced back with a spinning heel kick and half-crab submission hold.
The two then traded chops in the middle of the ring. Aminata came out on top and set up Van for a huge knee that knocked her through the ropes. Aminata dragged her back in and pinned Van for the victory.
Backstage, the Premier Athletes cut a promo. Sterling assured everyone they are the best Tag Team in the industry and everyone knows it. They will be future Tag Team Champions because “Athletes Rule.”
Atlantis Jr., Fuego & Titan defeated Barbaro Cavernario, Rugido & Volador Jr.
All six men started off in the ring. Superkicks were flying and when the dust settled it was Fuego and Cavernario in the ring. Cavernario bailed early and Volador jumped in against Titan. That was no fun, so Rugio came in to take on Titan, but Atlantis preferred it would be him, so he jumped in. Suddenly Cavernario was in the ring too, but Atlantis dispatched him and danced with Fuego.
These luchadore matches are amazing, but sometimes so fast paced that these North American eyes can barely keep up!
Titan found himself alone in the ring facing a triple team while Fuego and Atlantis recovered on the outside. Volador and Rugido worked cohesively, but Cavernario landed the real hard hits on the prone Titan. Atlantis tried to save him, but inadvertently took his place in the three-on-one mayhem. Not to be left out, Fuego jumped in and met a similar fate.
Fuego, Atlantis and Titan all tagged in and out, but Cavernario, Rugido and Volador just stayed in the ring the whole time, triple teaming whoever tagged in. Why one team used tags and the others didn’t was beyond me, but that was their strategy and they stuck with it.
Cavernario tried to take Atlantis’ mask off with his teeth, but was unsuccessful. Atlantis hit a backbreaker on Cavernario and Fuego and Titan jumped in to handle Volador and Rugido. They were successful until Caverario took them both out. Atlantis then dispatched him and Fuego and Titan went for a double pin, that got a two-count.
Back and forth, back and forth, the match was still up for grabs with neither team able to get the high ground on the other. Titan and Volador ended up the legal men and traded blows in the middle of the ring. Titan hit a big hurricanrana then dove to the outside with Fuego taking his place. He took Volador to the outside and Atlantis and Cavernario battled in the ring. Atlantis hit a massive Mexican Destroyer on Cavernario followed by a frog splash to get the pin and the victory for his team. That’s how this week’s show wraps up. Thanks for joining us!
(H/T to Jeff Moss and F4WOnline.com for the above report.)
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