Ring Of Honor Results (5/4) – This week’s episode of ROH was taped in Sunrise, FL as part of the April 26th AEW Dynamite taping. Ian Riccaboni, Caprice Coleman, and Nigel Mcguinness were on the call. Thanks to f4wonline for the recap.
Pure Rules Match: Rocky Romero defeated Lee Moriarty (w/Big Bill)
This is a nice undercard feud. While I can do without the interference in Pure matches, Romero overcoming it and using the rules to win works for me.
Romero immediately caught Moriarty in an armbar, forcing Moriarty to use his first rope break. The announcers remind us of the Pure Rules, including the fact that any interference results in immediate suspension. Romero hit a dive to Moriarty on the floor before hitting a rana in the ring for a nearfall.
Moriarty escaped a hammerlock by using the ropes to reverse the hold, but because he used the ropes, the referee counted that as his second rope break. Moriarty complained, but kept control of Romero. Romero fought out, but Big Bill swiped his foot while the referee was distracted. Romero then punched Moriarty with a closed fist, getting an official warning from the referee.
Moriarty brought Romero to the corner and hit palm strikes, but Romero slipped out and took his legs out from under him. Romero fired up, hitting a tornado DDT for a nearfall. They jockeyed for position before Romero caught Moriarty in the Diablo Armbar, forcing Moriarty to use his final rope break.
Back in the ring, Romero hit a standing Sliced Bread for a nearfall. The men traded palm strikes before Moriarty countered a traditional Sliced Bread into the Tiger Driver ’18 for a nearfall. Romero ducked a side kick and hit a jumping knee. Romero got Moriarty to the top rope and brought him down with the Diablo Armbar. Moriarty got to the ropes, but with no more rope breaks to use, Moriarty had to tap out.
ROH Women’s World Title Proving Ground Match: Athena defeated Angelica Risk
Athena adhered to the Code of Honor before immediately hitting a bicycle kick. Risk got a boot in before Athena swiftly took her down again, countering a 619 before dropping Risk down on her face. Athena superkicked a kneeling Risk. Risk got a roll up, but Athena kicked out and hit a dropkick to Risk.
Athena yelled at referee Mike Posey, but ran into a boot from Risk. Risk brought Athena down by the hair before hitting a 619. Risk went up the ropes for a crossbody, but Athena caught her and hit three consecutive Wasteland slams. She brought Risk down with the Gory Bomb into the knees before tapping Risk out with the crossface.
After the match, Athena called out Skye Blue before hitting Risk with the Skyfall onto the title belt.
ROH World Television Title Match: Samoa Joe defeated Christopher Daniels to retain
Solid, professional work from two professionals. Daniels is past being a serious threat for titles at this point of his career, but he can still put in a shift in the ring.
This is Samoa Joe’s 10th defense of the title.
The announcers note that this is the 92nd time these two men have been in the ring against each other across their careers, including facing each other for the ROH World, Pure, and TV Titles. The first advantage went to Joe, taking Daniels down with a vicious back elbow before driving Daniels into the corner with jabs. Daniels tried to fight out, but Joe brought him back into the corner before hitting the body splash/enzuigiri combo for a nearfall.
Joe slapped on a nerve hold, snapmaring Daniels down when he tried to get up and hitting a series of heavy strikes for a nearfall. Daniels peppered Joe with strikes, but Joe caught Daniels with a powerslam for a nearfall. Joe went for the Coquina Clutch, but Daniels slipped down and hooked Joe in a pin cover for a nearfall. Joe kicked out, but Daniels followed up with an STO. Joe took Daniels down with a Complete Shot off the ropes for another nearfall. Daniels called for the Angel’s Wings, but Joe powered out. Joe sent Daniels up and over with a suplex before landing the Muscle Buster to successfully defend the title for the 10th time.
ROH World Championship: Claudio Castagnoli defeated Robbie Eagles to retain
Robbie Eagles is one of my favorite junior heavyweights in New Japan, and his work here was just as impressive. I’d like to see a longer-form version of this in the future.
This is Castagnoli’s 7th defense of the title.
Eagles used his speed to take down Castagnoli, sending him to the floor with a hurricanrana. Castagnoli wasn’t happy with that, so he slapped Eagles in the face before driving him into the corner with uppercuts. Castagnoli sent Eagles up and over with a Gorilla Press before hitting a leg drop for a nearfall. Somewhere, Hulk Hogan got a shiver at someone kicking out of a leg drop.
Eagles fought out of Castagnoli’s grip before going after Castagnoli’s knee. Eagles hit a big dive to the floor before continuing the offense in the ring, hitting running knees into the corner for a nearfall. Eagles laid in the kicks, but Castagnoli took him down. Castagnoli went for the Giant Swing, but Eagles pulled himself up and over before locking in the Ron Miller Special.
Castagnoli got to the ropes, but Eagles continued the offense, landing a standing Sliced Bread for a nearfall. Eagles went for the 450 to the bad leg, but Castagnoli moved and hit a Michinoku Driver for a nearfall. Eagles avoided a big uppercut before going for a series of flash pins, none of which working. Castagnoli cut him off with a lariat for a nearfall.
Eagles got more kicks in, but as he went for another Sliced Bread, Castagnoli powered him into position for the Ricola Bomb. Castagnoli landed the Ricola Bomb for the win.
– Backstage, Dasha was with Skye Blue. She took issue with Athena sticking her nose in everyone’s business and bullying the locker room and challenged her to an ROH Women’s Title match.
Best Friends (Chuck Taylor & Trent Beretta), Action Andretti, Darius Martin & Stu Grayson (w/Alex Reynolds, Evil Uno & John Silver) defeated The Kingdom (Matt Taven & Mike Bennett) & The Varsity Athletes (Ari Daivari, Josh Woods & Tony Nese) (w/Maria Kanellis-Bennett & Mark Sterling)
While some reviewers would complain about the number of people in and around this match, I will accept the challenge with gusto. After a scramble, Team Best Friends took down Taven with a train of offense, ending with a Grayson moonsault. Nese cut off Beretta from the apron, then tagged in and sent Beretta into the ropes with a hard Irish whip. Nese went for it again, but Taylor hopped into the corner to take the impact, allowing Grayson to tag in and run wild.
Nese cut Grayson off with a knee, which began a train of offense that everyone got in on. It ended with Grayson and Woods in the ring, with Woods sending Grayson off the top rope with a suplex. Andretti hit a dive onto everyone on the floor. Taven went to the top, but Beretta cut him off and hit a superplex to the pile of bodies on the floor.
Grayson and Daivari were the first back in the ring. Grayson set up a tag move with Andretti, but The Righteous came out to distract him. Grayson went up the ramp, but Andretti was able to hit his hanging neckbreaker to score the win for his team. Grayson explained himself to the group, and they all shared a big group hug.
– In the back, Dasha was with Athena, who blindly assumed she was the other interviewer Lexy Nair. She shooed her away before accepting Skye Blue’s title challenge.
Preston Vance (w/Jose The Assistant) defeated Rich Adonis
Vance took Adonis down with a clothesline out of the Code of Honor. As the announcers figured out what Perro Peligroso meant – Dangerous Dog – Vance took Adonis on a tour of the barricades on the outside.
Back in the ring, Adonis got a little offense in, staggering Vance with a single-leg dropkick. Vance caught Adonis with a wheelbarrow suplex before hitting a big boot. Vance locked in the Full Nelson before spinning Adonis into the discus lariat for the win.
– In the back, Action Andretti & Darius Martin were talking about their win before getting jumped by The Kingdom. They left them laying before mockingly shaking their hands.
Skye Blue defeated Robyn Renegade
The two quickly got into a pinning predicament before Renegade hit a boot to cut it off. Blue sent Renegade to the floor with an armdrag. Renegade caught Blue’s foot on an apron kick and dragged her to the floor face-first.
Renegade sent Blue into the post before sending her back into the ring. Blue fought her way back up before hitting two hurricanranas. Blue hit a rising knee and a single-leg dropkick for a nearfall. Renegade avoided a kick from Blue before driving her down and scoring a nearfall. Renegade dropped down out of the Skyfall for a flash pin attempt, but Blue kicked out and hit the Skyfall for the win.
Brian Cage (w/Prince Nana) defeated Brock Anderson
Cage took down Anderson with a shoulder block before taking him down with a powerslam. Anderson got out of the way of a splash and hit the DDT. Anderson got some shots in before dropping Cage with a bodyslam. Cage caught Anderson on a boot and locked on a sharpshooter. Anderson got to the ropes, so Cage followed with a spinning lariat and the Drillclaw for the win.
Willow Nightingale defeated Steph De Lander
Nightingale took down De Lander with a shoulder block. She followed with an enzuigiri, but De Lander cut her off as she went to the top rope. De Lander hit a big boot and a suplex for a nearfall. De Lander hit a cannonball into Nightingale for a nearfall. Nightingale avoided a charge and took De Lander down. Nightingale hit a cannonball into the corner. De Lander fought her way up but ran right into a spinebuster for the win.
Angelico (w/Serpentico) defeated Komander
A lot of people have been turning the Code of Honor into offense, and Angelico followed the trend by locking Komander into a submission. Komander escaped and hit an impressive tornado armdrag. Angelico cut off Komander before sending him into the corner with a whip. Komander avoided a running knee that sent Angelico to the floor. Komander followed him to the floor with a corkscrew moonsault.
Angelico rolled to the other side of the ring, but Komander followed him with a double jump springboard crossbody. Back in the ring, Komander hit a big sunset flip for a nearfall. Angelico went for a lucha pin of his own but only got a nearfall. Angelico went for the Razor’s Edge into the corner, but Komander reversed it into a Sunset Bomb for a nearfall.
Komander hit a rise-up rana for a nearfall. Angelico rolled to the floor, but Komander followed him again, this time with the rope-walk plancha. Back in the ring, Komander hit the rope-walk Shooting Star Press for the win.
After the match, Angelico feigned respect for Komander before Serpentico jumped Komander from behind. They laid the boots to him before Orange Cassidy and Bandido ran them off. This post-match felt like a segment for the crowd more than the TV audience.
Ring Of Honor Results (5/4)
