No cold open this week, as we just dive right in with Ian and Caprice welcoming us to the show and running down the card. We have THIRTEEN matches on the docket tonight as we’re still working through the Arlington tapings.
MATCH 1 – Peter Avalon vs. Atlantis Jr. – ROH World TV Title Proving Ground Match
By this point the rules are well established. If Peter Avalon picks up the win or lasts 10 minutes, he gets a future World TV Title shot. Given that per Cagematch, he hasn’t won a singles match since February of 2023, I’m skeptical of his chances. As he comes out, I admit I almost forgot that Atlantis Jr. was the ROH World TV Champion. First, Peter starts talking and taunting to kill some clock, then he plays the fake injury to kill some time (and get the advantage) as well. I appreciate that Avalon is pulling out all the stops. And I also appreciate the Rick Rude hip swivel. The advantage doesn’t last long. Atlantis Jr. scores with a scoop powerslam and a frog splash for the win.
Atlantis Jr. pins Peter Avalon with a frog splash in 6:18.
Emergency MEM time. Billie says there’s been a lot going on in ROH, and she wants to know what’s going on. Athena continues giving credit to Lexy, and wants to promote her to Minion No. 1, and continues to be more or less oblivious to Billie’s state of mind. Billie tells Athena that Lexy is getting credit for everything she’s done. Meanwhile, Athena accuses Billie of snitching and being jealous of Lexy, and warns the next time Billie puts her hands on Athena or her precious, she’ll do to her ten times worse than she did in their match.
MATCH 2 – Harley Cameron vs. Queen Aminata
This is as good a place as any to say I don’t love the characterization that Harley has built for herself with The Outcasts, but ROH is an excellent place for her to continue working on her presentation and in-ring skill. Sort of like Lee Johnson, Aaron Solo, etc. Harley takes control on the outside, as Ian observes that no one’s really tried to brawl on the outside with Aminata save Athena. Aminata survives the effort and takes over throwing some bombs back on the inside. She gets a near-fall with a corner hip attack and a pin so suggestive that even circa 2006 Adam Copeland said “Maybe too far.” Cameron gets a nice nearfall off Sole Food. Aminata just keeps throwing bombs and strikes before the headbutt connects for the win.
Queen Aminata pins Harley Cameron with a headbutt in 6:59.
Back to the All Out Zero Hour as Top Flight gets a good showing but ultimately comes up short with Mr. ROH Roderick Strong picking up the pin. And that leads us into…
MATCH 3 – Top Flight & Action Andretti vs. Vin Parker, Dante Leon, and CD Bennett
Andretti starts out with Vin Parker. If you’ve seen one Top Flight match, you’ve seen this one. Top Flight controls for a while, Parker, Bennett and Leon take over with nefarious means, and Dante plays face in peril for a while, until the hot tag to Andretti. Dante hits his elevated facebuster for the win.
Top Flight & Action Andretti def. Vin Parker, Dante Leon, & CD Bennett (Dante pins Bennett) in 5:46.
Backstage, Melissa Santos is with Harley Cameron, but in a role reversal from the last few weeks Rachael Ellering interrupts, to introduce herself to Harley and offer some good old fashioned Midwest passive aggression until Harley leaves. “She’s a good kid,” Ellering observes.
MATCH 4 – The Outrunners vs. Fly Def
Not much here. A squash for the Outrunners, who pick up the win with their running inverted powerslam/cutter finish, but the real action comes once the match is over.
The Outrunners def. Fly Def in 2:23.
Post-match, the Iron Savages attack, and beat down The Outrunners. Turbo tries to fight back but is quickly outnumbered. Truth Magnum gets drilled with a lariat from Jacked Jameson, but The Infantry makes the save! Even though these two teams haven’t been on the same page–they were in fact feuding over the use of a finishing move before it was completely forgotten when The Infantry had their flirtation with the main AEW roster. In any event, The Infantry saves the day, the babyfaces run off the Iron Savages and we get the MEGA POWER HANDSHAKE.
MATCH 5 – Robyn Renegade vs. Angelica Risk
Robyn starts with a short joke, so Risk grabs a headlock. Renegade controls until she goes for a finish, and Risk counters. She goes for a Tiger Feint Kick, which she hits, but she tries to go for a Tornado DDT, but Robyn counters with a pumphandle facebuster for the win.
Robyn Renegade pins Angelica Risk with a pumphandle flatliner in 3:46.
Backstage, Jacoby Watts and Nick Comoroto who say if EJ Nduka wants a fight, he can have one in the ring, whether it’s Comoroto or Watts himself.
MATCH 6 – The Righteous vs. James Blackheart and JC Valentine
Vincent hugs Blackheart to technically follow the Code of Honor, and whispers something in his ear to give him pause. It distracts him long enough for Vincent to kick him in the gut and take early control. Valentine tags in and wants Dutch. That is truly a spectacular mistake and Dutch makes him pay for it. Blackheart tags back in and tries to take several swings at Dutch and it goes poorly. Neat double team move as Vincent picks up Valentine in a standing fireman’s carry, and Dutch backdrops him for an assisted Finlay roll. Autumn Sunshine finishes.
The Righteous def. James Blackheart & JC Valentine (Vincent pins Blackheart) in 2:41.
MATCH 7 – Ariya Daivari vs. Sammy Guevara
Daivari and Mark Sterling send Tony Nese and Josh Woods to the back. Daivari promises to beat up a Texas local since he can’t beat up the fans. Cue Sammy Guevara (sans ROH World Tag Team Title belt) to a nice reaction. Ian points out that traditionally, one half of the tag team champions losing a match generally gets the person that beat them a title shot, so if Daivari pulls out a win here, the Premier Athletes would likely be due a tag title shot. They go to the outside where Guevara lights up Daivari with chops, including getting the crowd into it to hold Daivari’s arms down for one. Sterling offers the distraction and Daivari takes control. We get the sleeper hold spot with the arm dropping twice before Guevara makes the comeback. A delayed suplex gets two. Daivari escapes GTH once, but Guevara hits a rising knee. He goes for the 630, but Nese and Woods emerge to knock him off the ropes and Daivari hits the Pepsi Twist for a near fall. Sammy fights back, takes out the Premier Athletes with a top rope moonsault to the floor, knocks Sterling off the apron and hits GTH for the win.
Sammy Guevara pins Ariya Daivari with GTH in 11:02.
Lexy Nair is backstage with Red Velvet, who she asks how it feels to currently be in possession of Billie Starkz’s championship belt. Velvet says Lexy is tasting bitter. Velvet says the Mean Girl era is over, and she thinks it’s time to add some sweetness. Diamante interrupts, saying no good deed goes unpunished. Velvet wonders when Diamante is going to step up.
MATCH 8 – Lady Frost vs. Promise Braxton
We saw Lady Frost last week in a losing effort in a Proving Ground match against Red Velvet. Braxton was last seen two weeks ago losing to Leila Gray. Lady Frost makes short work of her opponent, finishing with her corkscrew moonsault.
Lady Frost pins Promise Braxton with a corkscrew moonsault in 3:16.
MATCH 9 – Willie Mack vs. Exodus Prime
Mack was indeed taking care of Juggalo business, as he defended the JCW Heavyweight Title against the NWA’s Silas Mason before dropping to Matt Cross about a month ago. Indeed, Willie is repping JCW and the hatchet man on his gear. He was last seen on Honor Club way back in Episode 50, in a Four Corner Survival against Komander, AR Fox, and Jack Cartwheel. Mack takes control early. Prime is based out of the Dallas area, and was last seen on Honor Club on Episode 52, in a Four Corner Survival with Komander, AR Fox, and Matt Sydal. Exodus takes over for a bit, but is unable to suplex Mack, who answers with a running suplex of his own for a double down. Prime charges into a big clothesline, and Mack hits a knee strike, and a standing moonsault for two. Prime hits a nice wheelbarrow into a DDT for two. Willie hits his stunner and the frog splash for the pin.
Willie Mack pins Exodus Prime with a frog splash in 7:19.
Backstage, Anthony Henry is talking, before he is interrupted by BEEF, who is still mysteriously wet. Henry tries to calm him down, and takes a phone call from JD Drake, and BEEF tries to get attention like my kids when I’m on a call. Henry advises BEEF to chill, because otherwise when Drake arrives and meets him, he’s going to slap BEEF in the face. Which BEEF indeed does not want. Henry leaves and BEEF tries to chill, but he CAN’T.
MATCH 10 – Preston Vance vs. KM
In a pre-match promo, Vance says he’s on his own. He doesn’t need Dark Order, he doesn’t need LFI, he just needs to find the person that Mr. Brodie Lee saw in him when he hand-picked Vance all those years ago. KM tries to jump him from the go, but Vance drops him with a clothesline, and hits a series of forearm strikes to the chest on the apron. Ian says Vance skipped his graduation at the University of Michigan to head to the Monster Factory for a tryout. I did not realize that Vance went to U-of-M (your humble reviewer is a Michigander as well) and his Wiki claims he was born in Clare, Michigan (north central part of the lower peninsula). Anyway, Vance hits his big spinebuster, and spinning lariat for the win.
Preston Vance pins KM with a spinning lariat in 3:12.
MATCH 11 – Spanish Announce Project & Fuego del Sol vs. Ace of Space Academy (LSG, Colton Charles) & Joe Alonzo
We got Angelico competing in the Pure division, so now I need to find a new crusade. We saw Alonzo last week in a loss to Ariya Daivari and Tony Nese, and LSG dates back to Sinclair era ROH. I could have sworn Alonzo did as well, but I can’t find any proof of that, so I could be mistaken. In any event, SAP gets in some quick double teams on Alonzo and LSG comes in to eat an Asai moonsault from Fuego. Colton Charles comes in, but gets low bridged to the outside. Serpentico takes out all three on the outside with a dive. Back in, Alonzo rakes the eyes and hits a springboard double axe handle to take control, and Colton Charles drills the snake man with a clothesline, before raising the roof and tagging in LSG. Angelico and LSG tag in and Angelico runs wild. We lose control of the match, Fuego hits his tornado DDT on Charles to send him outside. And SAP finishes LSG.
Angelico makes LSG submit in an arm capture elevated scorpion deathlock in 6:04.
MATCH 12 – AR Fox & Komander vs. Ariel Dominguez and Brillante RB
Pretty standard high-flying exhibition until Fox catches Dominguez going for a rollthrough, and turns it into a version of a Bastard Driver. Fox hits the twisting suplex and Komander hits the rope walk shooting star press for the win.
AR Fox and Komander def. Ariel Dominguez and Brillante RB (Komander pins Brillante) with ropewalk shooting star press in 4:45.
MATCH 13 – Lio Rush vs. Rocky Romero
During the entrances, Ian lays out the similarities between these two. Both have made music, both have wrestled around the world, and Rocky has been a mentor to Rush. We have a bit of a reversal from the usual way of doing things, as Rocky is the one trying to slow down Rush, who is quicker than him. Romero slows things down with a backbreaker, and then a series of submissions to the back before Rush escapes with a jawbreaker. Rocky counters the bottom rope springboard stunner to an elevated knee strike and a running Shiranui for a nice near fall. But Rush goes back to it and hits it, following with the Final Hour frog splash for the win.
Lio Rush pins Rocky Romero with The Final Hour in 11:25.
Post match, Rush celebrates, and Romero raises his hand as Ian wishes us HAPPY WRESTLING, EVERYBODY.
THE NUMBERS
Total Show Time: 2:02:39
Total Match Time: 1:14:56 (61.1%)
Average Match Time: 5:46
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