We open with a video package covering the No. 1 contenders match from this past Saturday on Collision. You know, the AEW show. Nevertheless, Roderick Strong has become the number one contender to Mark Briscoe’s ROH World Title at Death Before Dishonor. We also get comments from Mark Briscoe
And then Athena (and her crutches, and Billie Starkz, and MIT Security) are out. Don’t recognize either, but one looks like if Ricochet and Dax Harwood had a child. Regardless, it’s time for some uninterrupted talk time. Billie outsmarted every woman in the tournament, so she’s not losing to Red Velvet. And Athena says she’s better on one foot than Queen Aminata. They’re going to relax and watch the show, and next week, they’re going to have Lexy Nair ask the hard questions for five minutes of uninterrupted time.
Next, we announce that first we’re getting trios action with Dalton Castle and The Outrunners against Lance Archer and The Righteous. Then we cut to footage earlier today of how the team of Dalton and The Outrunners came together. It’s tremendous and should be seen. They flex for Dalton, and after close inspection, Dalton simply says “I’ll see you out there.”
MATCH 1 – Dalton Castle and The Outrunners vs. Lance Archer and The Righteous
Ian talks up how this team could be good for Dalton, with the respect they have for him, and discusses his ROH career being filled with very high highs, and very low lows. Also points out how Dalton and The Boys defeated The Righteous (Vincent, Dutch, and Bateman) to win the Six Man Titles at Death Before Dishonor 2022. Turbo Floyd tags in and gets some success against Dutch including some double teams, but Archer rolls in and mauls both of them. Every time Archer gets in the ring, I’m reminded what a total package he is. He finishes Truth Magnum with the Blackout for the win.
Lance Archer and The Righteous def. Dalton Castle and The Outrunners (Archer pins Magnum) following the Blackout in 9:38.
Post match, Vincent tells the camera that he and Dutch are coming for the Tag Team titles.
We’ve got another video package for the MxM Collection. They’re all about the three F’s. Fashion, Fitness, and Filanthropy. Tremendous.
They’re coming soon.
MATCH 2 – Red Velvet vs. Maya World
Right away, Ian points out that Maya World is a prized student of Athena, who of course is the boss of Billie Starkz, who will face Velvet next Friday. Ian wonders if Maya might be working as a hired gun here, but early on it doesn’t seem to look that way. Velvet finishes her off with a flipping cutter for the easy win.
Red Velvet pins Maya World with a flipping cutter in 2:52.
Another commercial for All Elite Arcade Podcast.
Coming back to the ring, Evil Uno arrives, and apparently has something to say. Evil Uno has been doing this for 20 years and has worked hard, but he wants to wrestle the very best. Be it ROH, AEW, CMLL, New Japan, hell, even STARDOM. “Bring on your baddest, bring on your biggest.” And it gets answered by Katsuyori Shibata.
MATCH 3 – Evil Uno vs. Katsuyori Shibata
Imagine 10 years ago, thinking that this match would ever actually take place. This is Evil’s first singles match on ROH since Episode 58 (a win over London Lightning) and probably his highest profile since a Proving Ground loss to Eddie Kingston for the ROH World Title in December of 2023. This is Shibata’s first match on Honor Club since a Pure Title defense against Trent Beretta on Ep. 39 in November of last year. Uno tries to mix strikes, and that proves to be a mistake. He hangs around until Shibata drops him with a pump kick. Uno escapes a cross arm breaker with his foot under the ropes, but as Rick Knox backs off Shibata, the camera stays on Shibata as Knox calls for the bell.
Katsuyori Shibata def. Evil Uno by referee stoppage in 5:02.)
MATCH 4 – Cage of Agony (Brian Cage, Gates of Agony) vs. Austin Mulitalo, Cappuccino Jones and Carson Hutcheson
One of them tries to attack Toa from behind. It goes about as well as you’d think. Kaun tags in and…well…more of the same. It eventually devolves to all three of them tossing each of their opponents to the ground as hard as possible, until Kaun pins one for the easy win.
Cage of Agony def. Austin Mulitalo, Cappuccino Jones and Carson Hutcheson with a tossing powerbomb in 2:35.
Shane Taylor, backstage, talks about how Hurricane Beryl rolled through Texas, and as he held his family, he thought about how no one from AEW or ROH reached out to check on them. But if it was Mark Briscoe or Wheeler Yuta, they would have. Or Kyle O’Reilly, or Orange Cassidy. Taylor says if you don’t value my family or what I love, he’s going to take what you love. At some point, Mark Briscoe will stop ducking him and it’ll be the two of them for the ROH World Championship.
MATCH 5 – Queen Aminata vs. Mackenzie Morgan
Morgan, of course, was seen last week in a losing effort against Billie Starkz, and likely won’t fare much better here against the woman challenging Athena a week from Friday. Indeed, Aminata absolutely dominates Morgan, hitting a huge facewash in the corner, and finishing with a running Air Raid Crash, that I’m not sure I’ve seen her use before.
Queen Aminata pins Mackenzie Morgan following a running Air Raid Crash in 1:43.
MATCH 6 – Diamante vs. Leyla Hirsch
It’s a silly thing, but I appreciate when participants in a street fight style match dress for the occasion rather than in their standard ring gear. Diamante is more or less in street clothes, Hirsch is in her ring gear. In a way, that kind of works for the competitors, as Diamante wants to turn it into a fight, and it’s probably in Leyla’s best interest to keep it in the ring. On her way to the ring, Leyla says “Five and oh,” which would be her record against Diamante with a win here. They head to the outside quickly, brawling into the crowd. Trash cans get involved, chairs, etc. This marks the first time that I can recall a plunger getting involved in a match. Leyla winds up plunging Diamante in the face. Leyla brings thumbtacks into play, but gets suplexed onto them. Leyla hits a top rope moonsault onto Diamante through a table, but takes a bit of an awkward landing as she didn’t get quite the distance she’d have liked. Diamante is bleeding from the ear, as Ian tries to recall whether or not Leyla has done the moonsault since the return from knee surgery. They jockey for position on the top rope with a table looming, and Diamante hits an Avalanche Code Red through the table for the win.
Diamante pins Leyla Hirsch with an Avalanche Code Red through a table in 12:23.
Diamante celebrates and Ian points out that with a win like this, she could lay claim to either a World or a TV Title shot after Death Before Dishonor. As Diamante heads up the ramp, Ian wishes us HAPPY WRESTLING, EVERYBODY!
THE NUMBERS
Total Show Time: 1:06:56
Total Match Time: 0:34:13 (51.1%)
Average Match Time: 5:42
