The return and the rebranding of Ring of Honor is here! New owner, new vision, tons of title matches, and I’m sure, tons of surprises. Let’s check out the card:
- Rush vs. Dragon Lee
- ROH World Six-Man Titles: The Righteous vs. Dalton Castle & The Boys
- ROH Women’s World Title: Mercedes Martinez (c) vs. Serena Deeb
- ROH World TV Title: Samoa Joe (c) vs. Jay Lethal
- ROH Pure Title: Wheeler Yuta vs. Daniel Garcia
- 2 out of 3 Falls for the ROH World Tag Team Titles: FTR (c) vs. The Briscoe Brothers
- ROH World Title: Jonathan Gresham (c) w/ Tully Blanchard vs. Claudio Castagnoli
Make sure to keep refreshing the page as the most recent results are below!
ROH Death Before Dishonor 2022
Live from the Tsongas Center at UMass Lowell in Lowell, Massachusetts! The arena looks like a Ring of Honor/AEW hybrid, mixed with some of the classic ROH themes. Cool stuff here and a bigger deal presentation. Ian Riccaboni and Caprice Coleman are on commentary. There was a coin toss in the back since tonight is a double main event, and it seems the Briscoes and FTR will close the show, and we will open with…
Match #1. ROH World Heavyweight Title: Jonathan Gresham (c) vs. Claudio Castagnoli
William Regal has joined us on commentary, and we are on our way! Greco Roman knuckle lock to start as Claudio gets the double leg take down and I’m having some serious trouble with my feed here. Big swing by Claudio to start and Prince Nana has joined us at ring side. Prince Nana has BOUGHT Tully Blanchard Enterprises and renamed it The Embassy, for those who missed the pre-show here. Gresham attacks the knees early with a dropkick and a spinning toe hold. Claudio kicks him off and Gresham lands on the apron. Knee lift by Claudio and Claudio DEAD LIFT GUT WRENCH SUPLEXES GRESHAM FROM THE APRON INSIDE THE RING. WOW. Two count. Gresham comes off the top with a flying cross body block but Claudio catches him and transitions to a tilt-a-whirl back breaker for a two count. Claudio is looking for the Sharpshooter early but Gresham defends well. Claudio responds with a double stomp to the chest and a two count. Gresham jerks at the kneecap of Claudio and looks for a German suplex but can’t get it. Shotgun dropkick from the top by Gresham following by a flying elbow. One, two, no! Gresham locks in an ankle lock but Claudio gets to the ropes. Claudio is down to a knee and Gresham delivers some heavy chops. Claudio bates him in and hits a stiff European uppercut and now both men are trading. Gresham starts chopping at the inner thigh and an enziguiri. Claudio looks for the UFO but the damage to his knee prevents it. Moonsault off the middle rope by Gresham. Leg trap deadlift German suplex for two. Flying elbow! Two count. Swiss Death attempt by Claudio but Gresham responds with a cradle for a two count. Uppercut drops Gresham and the crowd comes alive. Claudio traps the arm and delivers some hammer and anvil elbows. Ricola Bomb! One, two, three! Woah.
Winner and NEW Ring of Honor World Heavyweight Champion: Claudio Castagnoli
Rating: ***3/4. Really fun opener here, but not at all what I expected from these two. This match clocked in about 15 minutes shorter than I expected. Castagnoli as champion of Ring of Honor is the right move, but Gresham was a fantastic champion that helped carry ROH during some dark times.
Code of Honor has been adhered to after the match, and Claudio finally gets his world title!
Match #2. ROH Six-Man Tag Team Title: The Righteous (c) vs. Dalton Castle & The Boys
Bateman, Dutch, Vincent, and Vita Von Starr all wearing white is really a sight to see. The Boys now have names, Brandon is the blond one and Brett is the non blond one. Got it. Dalton and Vincent to start. Elbows by Castle to start but Vincent with a head scissors into a side Russian leg sweep as Castle rolls to the outside. The Boys fan him down with no fans. Bateman is in now but Castle hits an ankle pick followed by an exploder. Rising knee in the corner and the Boys are in but Dutch levels them both with a clothesline. Pair of short arm clotheslines by Dutch and an exploder get a two count. Vincent in now with Northern Light’s suplex and the Righteous are putting the boots to the Boy. Running knee in the corner and Bateman gets the tag. 6-12 upside down elbow by Bateman and a spinning neck breaker. Two count. Castle gets the tag and clears hours. Basement DDT to Bateman. T-Bone suplex to everyone and now Dalton yells “BRING ME A BOY” and he uses the Boys as projectiles to take out all of the members of the Righteous. Ian Riccaboni makes a Multiplicity reference and I enjoy that. Von Starr distracts Castle as the Righteous dump Castle and the Boys to the outside. Asai moonsault by Von Starr but she takes out Bateman and Vincent. Dutch then dives and takes out both Boys. Powerbomb to a Boy and Death from Above by Vincent. Two count as Castle breaks it up by shoving the referee. Vincent comes in hot and hits the Acid Drop on a Boy. Bossman Slam to the other Boy. Castle dumps Dutch. German suplex to Vincent. Bangarang to Bateman One, two, three!
Winners and NEW Ring of Honor Six Man Tag Team Champions: Dalton Castle & The Boys
Rating: **1/2. If you’ve seen either of these teams before, you’ve seen this match. Not a bad thing, but it was tough to get the crowd to care after the opener. The Righteous are a fun group, though.
Match #3. ROH Pure Title: Wheeler Yuta (c) vs. Daniel Garcia
Garcia says he’s going to take the title and then bring it to AEW and destroy it as Regal joins commentary again. Code of Honor is adhered to but Garcia shoves Yuta. Yuta with a back suplex early. Straitjacket hold by Yuta but Garcia drops to a knee and reverses him. Yuta bridges out and reverses Garcia. Garcia responds with a vicious headbutt but Yuta hops on a front face look. Garcia tosses Yuta to the outside OVER the top rope. Is that a DQ? I kid. Garcia follows Yuta to the outside and throws him into the guard rail a few times and rolls him back into the ring. Body slam by Yuta followed by a senton. Two count. Chop to the throat by Yuta who locks in a Mir Lock (look up Frank Mir vs. Petey Williams). Yuta transitions into a single leg crab with a fishhook but Garcia flips out for a two count. German suplex by Yuta! Yuta retains control. German suplex number two. Wrist control maintained but Garcia hits a switch. Yuta transitions to a kimura Garcia bites the ear of Yuta behind the referees back to break the hold. Garcia attacks Yuta’s ear with elbows and then hip tosses him into the turnbuckle. Once more. Yuta escapes and runs up top before coming off with a missile dropkick. Enziguiri by Yuta and a flying forearm off the top rope. Big boot by Garcia and a rolling elbow by Yuta before a double clothesline drops both men. Both men are on their knees and start just paint brushing each other with open hand slaps! Yuta drops Garcia and the referee begins the count. Garcia is up at 9! German suplex by Yuta with a bridge gets two. Hammer and anvil elbow strikes by Yuta and Garcia is fading. Garcia rolls backward and delivers the same elbows into a rear naked choke! Yuta rolls through for acover that gets two. Back drop suplex by Garcia! Yuta is up and hits a wrist trip Burning Hammer! Yuta rolls into a crossface but Garcia rolls out and locks in the Sharpshooter! Garcia reaches back but Yuta grabs the head and locks in a bulldog choke! Garcia rolls into a Regal Stretch! Garcia with some stomps but Yuta counters into a Walls of Jericho that forces Garcia to the ropes! That’s the first rope break, each wrestler only gets three. Both men trade pin attempts before Garcia SPIKES Yuta with a piledriver. 2.99! Garcia traps the wrist and looks for some stomps but Yuta evades and rolls into the seatbelt and traps the leg! One, two, three!
Winner and STILL ROH Pure Champion: Wheeler Yuta
Rating: ****1/2. THIS IS WRESTLING. THIS IS RING OF HONOR. What an unbelievable match here, on par with their one-hour time limit draw for the IWTV title last year. When I think of prime Ring of Honor, this is the exact style of match that comes to mind. Hard hitting with a focus on submissions and one wrestler trying to beat the other one, not trying to get all of their spots in. Tremendous win for Yuta here.
Match #4. Rush vs. Dragon Lee
Code of Honor and a Hug of Honor as this is being billed as brother vs. brother. Rush chops Lee to start and both men trade some amateur wrestling back and forth early. Shoulder to shoulder but Rush pie faces Lee and tells him to work harder. Rolling elbow by Rush drops Lee and now he’s bullying his little brother. Big chop in the corner by Rush drops Lee. Foot sweep in the corner and an outside in single leg dropkick by Dragon Lee, who seems to have woken up. Rush comes flying out with a shotgun dropkick followed by a tope con hilo! Rush then drags Lee around the outside to all four corners and puts him through each guard rail. Lee is seated in the corner as Rush dances on his head. Rush teases The Bull’s Horns and pauses.. only to kick Lee in the face. Powerslam by Rush gets two. Headscissor take over by Dragon Lee sends Rush to the outside before a tope con hilo of his own! Lee sits Rush up on the timekeeper’s table and does a flying SUICIDE DIVE THROUGH RUSH AND THE TABLE. HOLY ES. Lee goes up top… double stomp! One, two, no! Rush asks for more! Elbows by Dragon Lee and Rush responds in kind. Overhand chop to the chest by Rush. Answer by Lee. You get the idea. Pump kick by Lee is met with a rolling elbow by Rush. Rebound German by Lee. Rebound German by Rush. Rush looks for the flipping DDT but it turns out to be more of a take down. Lee on the apron and Rush brings him in the hard way with a deadlift vertical suplex. Two count. Both men are on the apron now and Rush is beating down Lee with stomps and kicks. Lee responds and they’re trading chops again. Super kick by Rush. Flying knee by Lee! Lee charges Rush on the apron but Rush tosses him with an overhead belly to belly from the apron to the floor! Rush berates a fan as Dragon Lee takes advantage of the time and hits an over the top inside out hurricanrana to Rush to the floor. Both men get inside at the 19 count. Both men now invite the other to strike them and we’re back to a chop off. Super kick by Lee and he charges Rush… overhead belly to belly in the corner! Mess with the bull and you get the horns… Bull’s Horns by Rush! One, two, NO! Rush puts Dragon Lee on the top rope but Lee shrugs him off and Rush is hanging there… draping double stomp! One count! Liger Bomb by Dragon Lee! Two count! Lee pulls down the knee pad… Incinerator! ANOTHER TWO! Lee has wrist control but Rush drops to the ground. Lee goes for the pin instead of inflicting more damage but Rush is playing possum and looks for a cradle that gets two. Super kick by Rush, Superman punch! Bull’s Horns! That finally gets the three.
Winner: Rush
Rating: ****. Totally different encounter than the last match and that’s part of the pro wrestling buffet that Ring of Honor is capable of offering. Rush was expected to get the win here but Dragon Lee looked great in defeat.
Match #5. ROH Women’s World Title: Mercedes Martinez (c) vs. Serena Deeb
Code of Honor adhered to and we’re off. Nice chain wrestling to start as both women trade arm bars, wrist locks, and the like. Serena hits the ropes but Martinez comes back with a spinebuster early on! Deeb is trying to recover as she sits in the corner but Martinez comes through with a big dropkick to the face. Both women on the outside and Mercedes goes to town with some elbows on the apron. Mercedes looking for a Death Valley Driver on the apron but Deeb gets free and hits a spear on the apron. Deeb with a back elbow and hits a Diamond Dust off the top! Masato Tanaka special! Two count! Mercedes fights to her feet and lands a half and half suplex on Deeb as both women are down now. Mercedes now puts Serena on the top rope and she’s searching for the Spider German but instead Mercedes locks in a dragon sleeper off the top rope! Mercedes breaks it before the five count. Deeb elbows Mercedes off and she’s stuck in the Tree of Woe. Kicks to the back by Deeb followed by a running dropkick to the stomach. Deeb locks in an abdominal strech with a neck wrench and an elbow in the ribs. Deeb climbs up Mercedes back and traps her in a double arm bar ON Mercedes back! Brutal looking submission. Wrist lock take over by Mercedes. Straight arm bar attempt by Mercedes but Deeb fights out and Mercedes now looks for a mounted guillotine choke. Both women are exchanging boots to the face from the 50/50 position on the ground now. Surprisingly, the crowd is firmly behind Serena Deeb here. Deeb looks for Deebtox but Mercedes back body drops her. Running knee by Mercedes gets two. Mercedes misses a charge and Deeb goes up top and gets caught. Spider German by Mercedes! BRUTAL landing for Deeb there. Mercedes looks for the Northern Lariat but Deeb just falls face first. Mercedes now looking for the surfboard dragon sleeper but Deeb bites her way out! Mercedes responds with some clubbing blows and some heavy chops. Fireman’s Carry by Mercedes but Deeb gets loose and hits a swining neck breaker for two. Tornado DDT by Deeb. Serenity Lock! Mercedes rolls through for a two count. Deeb now drives Mercedes knee into the mat and looks for an ankle lock but Mercedes sends her into the middle turnbuckle. Cheeky Nandos by Mercedes! OG Drop (?) by Mercedes gets a two. That looked awkward, think a Razor’s Edge into a dominator… kind of. Brass City Sleeper by Mercedes finally gets the tap!
Winner and STILL ROH Women’s World Champion: Mercedes Martinez
Rating: ***1/2. These two women worked their assess off in this match, and what a match it was. The story was both women knew each other very well and had counters for each other’s counters. Aside from a few awkward spots, this was an all-action match and really picked up towards the end. It’s nice to see Mercedes getting some long-deserved recognition.
Match #6. ROH World TV Title: Samoa Joe (c) vs. Jay Lethal
I feel like I haven’t seen Joe in forever. The men meet at the aisle way, and we start hot. Lethal hits a drop kick but Joe throws him into everything and anything he can find. Big lariat by Joe on the outside and this match hasn’t started yet, technically. Ian Riccaboni goes over how there is referees’ discretion in a title match and I think that’s going to be important to remember, as Lethal grabs the title belt. Lethal thinks better of it and hits the trifecta of the suicide dives. Joe fights back and drops Lethal coming in with a chop. Joe sets Lethal up on a chair and hits a big boot into the corner of the guard rail! Joe sets up a table at ring side, but Satnam Singh is here, and he attacks Joe from behind. Lethal and Singh put a chair around Joe’s arm and run him into the pole at ringside. The match has now started as the referee throws Satnam Singh out. Joe somehow fights back with one arm and hits the Pele kick (so cleanly, btw) in the corner. Two count. Lethal heads to the outside and drops Joe’s elbow over the top rope. Lethal now up top and hits a missile dropkick to the bad arm. Two count. Joe fights out of the corner with some forearms but Lethal catches him coming in and nails another dropkick. Lethal with a chop and Joe just slaps him back with an open hand. European uppercut by Lethal but a running back elbow by Joe. Running elbow suicida to the outside by Joe! Back inside the ring now, and a two count. Lariat by Joe turns Lethal inside out! Two count. Enziguiri by Lethal to Joe’s injured arm. Lethal rushes in but Joe catches him with a powerslam! Two count. Lethal Combination by Jay! Lethal is looking for the figure four but Joe has an answer for it. Lethal puts Joe on the top rope and he’s looking for the Muscle Buster of his own, but Joe fights out. Leg lariat by Joe off the top gets a two count. Joe looks for the Muscle Buster but the injured arm prevents him from finishing it… Lethal Injection by Lethal! 2.9999! Lethal heads back to the injured arm with a dropkick. Lethal charges into the corner again but Joe catches him with the judo throw! Sonjay is here and Lethal brains Joe with the ROH TV title. One, two, no! Lethal looks for another Lethal Injection but Joe catches him in the rear naked choke! Lethal rolls through and Joe kicks Lethal’s legs forward, right into a seated back take! Joe has the choke looked in!
Winner and STILL ROH TV Champion: Samoa Joe
Rating: ***1/2. Heck of a match here between two veterans. Joe hasn’t been in the ring in a while, and I thought he looked crisper than he has in quite some time. The Satnam Singh feels forced but it’s at a minimum so I cna’t complain too much.
Match #7. 2 out of 3 Falls for ROH World Tag Team Title: FTR (c) vs. The Briscoes
Fall #1. Crowd starts chanting for everyone before we even get to lock up. Dax and Mark to start as we’re trading headlocks. Cash gets the tag a Mark dives for a single and Cash holds a ront chancery. Japanese arm drag by Mark and Cash wants no part of the Sussex Country Chicken! Jay and Dax are in now. Jay tries to shove Dax off but Dax holds on to the head lock. Jay breaks free and hits a few shoulder tackles before a hurricanrana. DDT by Jay Briscoe and a close two count. Doctor checks in Dax as Cash gets the tag. Cash gets in Jay’s face and they’re turning each other’s chests to hamburger with chops. Cash hits a low shoulder tackle followed by a tear drop suplex as Dax drops Mark from the apron. Doctor goes to check the Briscoes and mark tells him to get the hell out of here. Back int he ring and FTR are putting the boots to Jay. Arm ringer into a back suplex by Cash. Cash gets up but Jay is there with a big boot. Mark prevents Cash from getting to the outside so he can take a breather. German suplex by Dax to Mark. Dax looking for a quick cradle on anyone here but doesn’t get it. Roll up gets two on Mark but Mark shoots him off into Jay who was waiting outside, but Dax evades. Mark is on the apron and looking for the Cactus Elbow but Cash spears him on the apron. In the ring, Dax spikes Jay with a DDT. Catapult by Jay into the corner, tag to Mark who puts Dax up on his shoulders… Doomsday Device! One, two, three!
Fall #2. Crowd is pretty quiet for this and then come alive early, firmly behind FTR which infuriates me. Dax tries to sneak a quick pin in but gets a two. Jay throws Dax to the outside and Mark destroys his chest with chops in front of the ring post. Jay follows Dax to the outside and throws him into the guard rail. Close up of Dax’s chest shows that Mark’s chops actually opened Dax up… gross. Briscoe’s now change the focus to the chest of Dax as 20 minutes have elapsed and we’ve got 40 minutes left in the time limit. Jay with a chin lock but Dak fights back with a back suplex. Dax looks to tag Cash but Jay takes him off the apron with a big boot. Dax is free and hits a pair of German suplexes and puts Jay on the top rope. BIG avalanche back suplex by Dax! Both men are down and just as Dax gets to his corner, Mark Briscoe rips Cash off the apron. Tag to Mak from Jay. Mark has Dax up in a Razor’s Edge… Redneck Boogie! One, two, no! Mark and Dax are beating each other down with chops as Mark cuts the ring in half. Mark leapfrogs Cash gets the tag! Belly to belly to Mark! European uppercuts in the corner. Short arm clothesline by Wheeler! Brainbuster! Two count! Noshigame by Cash as Dax holds Jay off… but he only gets two! The fight has broken down and we are now all over the arena. Cash and Mark are at ringside as Jay and Dax are in the concessions. Back in the ring and Cash hits a crossbody on Mark for two! Jay cracks Cash in the face with the bell behind the referees back! Two count! Death Valley Driver by Jay and the Froggy Bow by Mark! One, two, but Dax pulled him off from the outside. Dax lures Mark to follow him and flapjacks Mark on the stairs. Jay and Cash are legal now and Cash gets a blind tag to Dax. Jay hits the ropes, leapfrog… Big Rig! We’re tied at 1-1!
Fall #3: The entire arena is chanting “fight forever” and the next fall wins. Mark and Cash are legal and headbutting each other. Uranage to Cash! Tag to Dax. Uranage to Dax! Mark is bleeding pretty bad here. Dax and Mark are on the apron and Dax blocks a uranage. Red Neck Kung Fu drops Dax! Mark with a running blockbuster off the apron! Jay and Dax get the tags now. Superkick by Jay and he’s looking for the Jaydriller. Dax fights his way into a piledriver! Two count. Mark makes the save and buys Jay some time. Briscoe’s are in control and looking for the Doomsday Device but Cash throws Mark off and Dax looks to clothesline Jay, misses, and takes the referee out. Jaydriller to Dax! One, two, three, four, five, etc. No referee! Jay gets tosses into the corner and jumps off the middle turnbuckle but gets caught with the Big Rig in mid air. Still no referee! Cash wakes the referee up and throws him in the ring! One, two, NO! FTR looking for the Power Plex but Mark tosses Cash off the top rope as Jay wriggles free and gets Dax on his shoudlers. Doomsday Device! Cash makes the save at 2.99999999. All four men are making it to their feet at the same time and Mark pairs up with Cash. We’re just trading closed fists now. Cash tries to suplex Mark to the outside but it ricochets them back inside the ring and that didn’t look fun for either guy. Jay and Dax put their hands up and they’re just fighting with fists. Big boot by Jay but Dax rebounds with a lariat for two. Jay locks Dax in a camel clutch as Cash tries to make the save, but Mark puts the camel clutch on Cash. Both guys make it to the ropes. Jay looking for the Jaydriller on Dax as Mark goes up top, but Cash runs up and back suplexes himself and Mark off the top rope through the table on the floor! Back in the center of the ring, Jaydriller to Dax! DAX KICKS OUT. COME ON, MAN. Jay looking for the Jaydriller again and why not? Dax is dead weight and Jay can’t pick him up. Dax broke the hands and puts Jay on the top rope. Jay fights Dax off the top rope but Dax gets a burst of energy and runs up to the top rope… avalance piledriver from the top rope! Dax collapses on Jay! One, two, three!
Winners and STILL ROH World Tag Team Champions: FTR
Rating: ****1/4. I mean, what can you say after 50 minutes? All four men gave everything they had for the better part of an hour, and tag team wrestling is alive and well. FTR is widely considered the current GOATS of the tag team world, but the Briscoe Brothers are possibly the most underrated. What a match.
Cash Wheeler takes the mic as Ian Riccaboni reminds us that the Briscoe Brothers are going nowhere and are under long term deals with Ring of Honor. Cash asks the Briscoes to come into the ring so the people can show them the appreciation that they deserve. The arena is now chanting for the Briscoes. The Code of Honor is officially adhered to. “Mother Fer I love pro wrestling” – Dax Hardwood. Dax wants to talk about how much he loves the fans tonight. Dax says wrestling saved their lives and call him a mark if ya want to but he loves this shit. See y’all on Dynamite… Top Guys, out.
The Blackpool Combat Club is standing at the entrance way, Claudio Castagnoli and Wheeler Yuta specifically. Champions challenge, maybe?
Final Thoughts: Ring of Honor has found a lifeline in Tony Khan, and I couldn’t be happier. The fans still don’t know the actual direction of the company in terms of a TV show, PPV schedule, or even an ROH-exclusive roster, but this was a damn good start. It seems like the future of ROH is intertwined with AEW which will in turn seemingly give us endless match possibilities, and that’s a good thing. Go out of your way to see Briscoes/FTR, Rush/Dragon Lee, and Yuta/Garcia. I’d also love to pat Tony Khan on the back for giving us a PPV that went 3 hours on the nose, no filler, all action. 8.5/10