A new era of honor beings… again!
- ROH World Six-man Tag Team Championship: The Embassy (c) vs. AR Fox, Metalik, & Blake Christian
- ROH Pure Championship: Wheeler Yuta (c) vs. Katsuyori Shibata
- ROH Women’s Championship: Athena (c) vs. Yuka Sakazaki
- Reach for the Sky Ladder Match for the ROH World Tag Team Championship: Top Flight vs. The Kingdom vs. Lucha Bros vs. LFI vs. Aussie Open
- Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Daniel Garcia
- AAA Mega Championship: El Hijo del Vikingo (c) vs. Kommander
- ROH World Televison Championship: Samoa Joe (c) vs. Mark Briscoe
- ROH World Heavyweight Championship: Claudio Castagnoli (c) vs. Eddie Kingston
ROH Supercard of Honor 2023
Live from the Galen Center in Los Angeles, California! Ian Riccaboni, Caprice Coleman, and Nigel McGuinness are on commentary and we are getting right to business tonight!
Match #1. AAA Mega Championship: Komander vs. El Hijo del Vikingo
Surfboard by Vikingo, as it took us about five minutes to find the actual stream, so we are just in progress here. Double leg by Vikingo who now sits in full guard and delivers some elbows to Komander. Double dropkicks miss and we are looking at two men in the Matrix. Fosbury flop by Vikingo but he catches Komander and they trade tombstone attempts before flying back in the ring and Komander hits a springboard dropkick. Tope con hilo by Komander, who now looks to set up a table on the outside. Running 450 off the stage to Vikingo on the floor. Enziguiri by Vikingo on the apron and an imploding hurricanrana off the top! Running double knees to the face of Komander sends him through the ropes. Komander gets the knees up as Vikingo comes off the apron with a running shooting star. Komander walks the ropes and attempts a shooting star but gets two boots in the face. Frankensteiner driver by Vikingo gets two. Swinging sit out Side Effect by Vikingo. Vikingo runs from the ring post off the rope and gets caught with a powerbomb in mid-air! One, two, no! Komander now to the outside but Vikingo with an imploding somersault senton from the middle rope to the floor! Outsude in Phoenix Splash! One, two, no! Both men on the apron now and Komander counters a powerbomb with a destroyer! Komander walks ACROSS THE RING ROPES TO THE OPPOSITE SIDE and hits a corkscrew plancha to the floor! Rope walk slow rotating shooting star by Komander gets a long two count. Vikingo meets Komander in the middle of the rope with a destroyer off the top! Vikingo sets up the table and connects with the running 630 from the inside out on the table, but the table doesn’t break! Vikingo misses a 630 senton back in the ring now and Komander comes off the top with a corkscrew alternating Phoenix Splash! One, two, no! Swinging Side Effect from the top by Vikingo! Running double knees in the corner by Vikingi and the 630 finishes this one!
Winner and STILL AAA Mega Champion: El Hijo del Vikingo
Rating: ***3/4. Did anyone sell anything? No. Did anyone care? Also no. This was bananas.. no sales were made today.
Match #2. ROH Six Man Tag Team Championship: The Embassy (c) vs. AR Fox, Blake Christian & Metalik
Triple dropkick and dives by the challengers to start. Metalik dives but is caught and slammed down by Toa. Kaun in for a double team and a two count. The soon to be departing Brian Cage in next who hits some power moves, but AR Fox tags in with an enzuguiri and a cutter times two to take over. Fox with a tope suicida to the outside on Cage, and Metalik follows with his own. Senton by Fox on Cage for a two count. Cage gets an F5 and tags out to Toa, but Christian tags with a flying forearm. Fosbury Flop to the outside on Toa. Metalik tags in with a Superfly splash. Cage sneaks in with a double clothesline as things break down. Kaun and Toa double team Christian, and Cage tries to suplex him back in but gets powerbombed instead. Metalik tags in and tries a rana, but Cage powerbombs him down. Christian hits Cage with a DVD, but Toa takes him out. Toa catches Metalik but gets DDT’d down. Cage sets up Metalik for a powerbomb, but Christian launches for a Destroyer on Cage. Toa and Kaun throw Christian down. Metalik catches Cage with a sunselt flip for a close two, but eats a clothesline and a Drillclaw for the win.
Winners and STILL ROH Six Man Tag Team Champions; The Embassy
Rating: ***. Pretty much nonstop action the entire way, surprising result here.
Match #3. ROH World Women’s Championship: Athena (c) vs. Yuka Sakazaki
Both women trade arm drags and we have an early stalemate. Enziguiri by Yuka and a suicide cannonball dive to the outside. Athena tries to leave but Yuka grabs her and throws her back in the ring. Yuka misses a missile dropkick off the top and Athena delivers some vicious ground and pound. Hair whip to the ground by Athena. Hair whip by Yuka and a basement lariat gets two. Running enziguiri by Yuka again as she heads up top and cartwheels out of an attack by Athena. Athena catches a hurricanrana and powerbombs Yuka. Twice. Third time is a sit-out powerbomb that gets a two count. Dominator into the double knees by Athena and that one misses by a mile but Athena still gets the two. Baseball slide sends Yuka to the floor. Wheelbarrow suplex to the floor by Athena! Athena misses another baseball slide and eats the guard rail as Yuka capitalizes with a Snow Plow on the outside! Yuka sends Athena into the steel steps and comes off the stage with a running Thesz Press! Magical Girl Splash by Yuka! One, two, no! Rolling elbows by Yuka and Athena is dropped! Athena responds with an elbow of her own and both women are down. Athena falls in a cover for two. Superplex by Yuka for two. Hammerlock spinning sit-out face buster gets a two count. Yuka looks for another Magical Girl Splash but Athena shoves the referee into her and hits the O-Face off the top!
Winner and STILL ROH Women’s Champion: Athena
Rating: ***. Started a bit slow here, but both women worked towards a really fun match. Yuka didn’t have a shot here considering the match was made yesterday, but she got in some good offense.
Match #4. ROH World Television Championship: Samoa Joe (c) vs. Mark Briscoe
Code of Honor is adhered to. Joe bails and stalls to start. Lockup proper and Joe overpowers Mark early. Mark counters with some big boots but eats some chops from the champion. A chop battle ensues, and Mark gets a Spiccoli Driver, but Joe bails to the outside once more. Mark follows but Joe beats him down out there and tosses him inside. Joe maintains control and lands several strikes and a suplex for two. Mark battles back but falls victim to a corner charge and enzuguiri. Mark rolls to the outside and Joe gets a forearm dive out there. Joe grabs a chair but Mark gets a dropkick, and uses the chair for a somersault tope to the floor. Mark sets up a table but Joe cuts him off and rams him into the ringpost. Briscoe with the running Blockbuster off the apron through the table. Mark off the top rope with a karate chop, and another chop battle begins. Joe headbutts Mark into the corner, but Mark springs off the rope to knock Joe down and both men are out. Uranage by Mark gets two. Jay Driller attempt is countered by Joe and Joe gets a snap powerslam for two. Powerbomb by Joe gets two, and he transitions to the STF. Crossface now but Mark gets to the ropes as Joe’s nose is bloody. Mark fights back with chops but Joe dumps Mark with a backdrop driver and lariat for two. Joe tries to set up the Muscle Buster but Mark fights it off and gets a boot in the corner. Froggy Bow hits for a very close two count. Mark tries a cutthroat driver but Joe counters to the rear naked choke. Sleeper suplex but Joe and Joe gets him in the choke again and the referee stops it to give Joe the win. Well, I wouldn’t have bet on that result.
Winner and STILL ROH World Television Champion: Samoa Joe
Rating: ****. Real good match and story here with Mark fighting as the underdog. Thought for sure Mark would win here with the emotional support he has going. Post match they shake hands and the crowd gives Mark a standing ovation.
Match #5. Daniel Garcia vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi
Tie up to start. Back elbow by Tana and a springboard crossbody. Both men fight to the outside now as Garcia throws Tana into the steel steps and Garcia DDT’s Tana’s leg on the outside. Garcia now focusing on Tana’s injured knee, looking for the surfboard, actually… just a double stomp. Tana fighting back with body shots and a flying forearm off the ropes. Tana still favoring the knee but lands a body slam and a somersault senton off the middle rope for a two count. Dropkick to the knee of Tana and a single leg dropkick to the face. Both men exchange kicks to the knees now in the middle of the ring but Garcia kicks the knee out from behind and Tana hits the deck. Garcia looks for the DragonTamer but Tana fights his way to the ropes and Garcia puts the boots to him. Tana catches a leg of Garcia and hits a dragon screw leg whip and… I lose my feed!
Winner: Hiroshi Tanahashi
Rating: NR. Due to technical difficulties.
Match #6. Reach for the Sky Ladder Match: Aussie Open vs. The Kingdom vs. Lucha Bros vs. Top Flight vs. LFI
Well, this should be fun to try and keep up with. 3 teams go for ladders right away while the Kingdom and LFI remain in the ring. Top Flight avoids a ladder shot and dropkick the Kingdom out. LFI take control over Top Flight and set up the ladder in the corner as Rush hits the Bulls Horns onto Top Flight. Aussie Open in now to battle with LFI. AO wins that battle with double team maneuvers. Ladder shot knocks Rush outside and the Lucha Bros are in next. Taven charges but eats a ladder. The Luchas sandwich AO between ladders and start to climb. They don’t get far as Mark Davis is in, but Feix hits him with a PK and Penta lands a dive to the outside. LFI is alone in the ring now and hit stereo somersault planchas to the outside. The Kingdom set up a doomsday device to the outside on Darius Martin. Everyone is on the outside and the Kingdom are stacking tables. To the stage, AO gets double piledrivers on the Kingdom. AO then sandwich Dante Martin between ladders and set up to climb. The Luchas put a stop to that and climb themselves, but LFI stops that and Rush gets a Mexican Destroyer. Poison rana from Dralistico. Bennett and Rush trade fists with Bennett busted open until Taven jumps in to take both out. Taven, also bloodied, takes a suplex onto a ladder. Dralistico climbs but Top Flight interrupts and get a tornado DDT. Dropkick into a chair to the face of Rush. AO prevent a Top Flight climb, and Penta eats a double superkick and biel onto a ladder. AO set up a ladder with a bridge to the middle turnbuckle but Dante gets a springboard dropkick to prevent a climb. Taven climbs onto the bridged ladder but eats a Spanish Fly from Dante. Bennett climbs but Dante gets a sunset bomb off the ladder. AO cuts off Dante going up the ladder and get the Fidget Spinner. Darius takes a spinebuster nto a ladder on the outside. Dralistico DDT’s Davis and climbs the turnbuckle. Fletcher takes a rana off the apron and rolls into the announce table. Bennett powerbombs Dralistico onto a ladder on the outside and Taven splashes him through a ladder. Rush tosses Davis through another ladder at ringside. Fenix climbs with Dante on the other side. They battle at the top of the ladder and Fenix gets elbowed down onto a ladder. Penta quickly climbs and walks on the bridged ladder. Detroyer through 2 tables on Dante (breaking his ankle I believe). Taven and Fenix on top of the ladder now, knocks Taven into the bridged ladder and grabs the belts for the win.
Winners and NEW ROH World Tag Team Champions: The Lucha Brothers.
Rating ****1/4. A wild car crash of a match as you’d expect. It’s hard not to marvel at how these guys find ways to come up with new ways to use ladders. Hard work from everyone involved.
After the match, Mark Briscoe comes out to embrace the new champions, as well as FTR. Hugs from everyone involved in a very nice moment.
Match #7. ROH Pure Championship: Wheeler Yuta (c) w/ Jon Moxley vs. Katsuyori Shibata
THE WRESTLER! Waist lock by Shibata, who rides Yuta to the ground. Hammer lock and a hip toss by Shibata. Yuta misses a dropkock and Shibata misses a field goal and we’re back to zero. Head scissors by Shibata and Yuta bridges out. Figure four leg lock by Shibata! Yuta has to use his first rope break. Shibata with some 12-6 elbows to the shoulder of Yuta and Yuta bridges out for a two count. Knee drop to the elbow of Shibata by Yuta who looks for a short arm scissors. Yuta with a low blow behind the referee’s back and a closed fist, which the referee did see, so Yuta is issued a warning. Both men are now exchanging brutal chops but Shibata drops Yuta! Shibata now with some heavy stomps in the corner and a running dropkick! Northern Light’s suplex by Shibata gets a two count. Back suplex by Shibata and Yuta uses a rope break, so that’s two. Penalty kicks by Shibata now and Yuta is in trouble! Yuta grabs a waist lock but Shibata paintbrushes him with an overhand! Sleeper by Shibata and Yuta fades. Penalty kick by Shibata and this one is over!
Winner and NEW ROH Pure Champion: Katsuyori Shibata
Rating: ****. What a match, what a surprise victory here! Shibata has the perfect style for the Pure division, and this was a heck of a battle.
Post-match, Yuta refuses to shake hands. Boo.
Match #8. ROH World Heavyweight Championship: Claudio Castagnoli (c) vs. Eddie Kingston
Eddie flips him off to start and charges into the corner, slapping Claudio. Claudio drops Eddie with a hard shot sending him to the outside. Claudio hits him with a back suplex. Eddie goes to work on the left knee of Claudio sending him to the outside. A tope suicida is blocked with an uppercut from Claudio. Claudio pounds away with forearms, and pulls Eddie through the ropes and suplexes him on the floor in one motion. Swing attempt is countered by Eddie, but Claudio shakes looks and gets a top rope headbutt for two. A slap fight begins, but the champion gets the Swing, but only manages a few rotations as Claudio sells the knee. Eddie to the top, but the champ knocks him down with a dropkick, but hurts his leg again. To the top again and Claudio gets a superplex. Claudio with kicks to the back of Eddie and a stomp to the face. Eddie grabs the eyes to draw even. Eddie with a clothesline to the outside and a suicide dive. Outside Eddie gets a t-bone suplex on the floor. Back in, bulldog from the middle rope by the challenger gets two. Claudio counters a suplex and drills Eddie with elbows to the face. Eddie ducks a clothesline and catches a Dragon Sleeper, but the champion gets to the ropes. Saito suplex by Eddie gets two. Claudio gets a German suplex to even things up. Both men stagger to their feet and exchange strikes. Backfist is blocked by Claudio and a big lariat gets two. Ricola Bomb is countered and Eddie gets the Backfist for a close two. To the apron now and Claudio gets a gutwrench suplex to the floor on Eddie. Claudio rams the barricade into Eddie multiple times. Charging European Uppercut by Claudio gets another close two. Claudio slaps Eddie, but Eddie gets a backfist to stagger the champion. Neutralizer gets only one! European Uppercut gets two. Crowd is going nuts at this point. Claudio with a series of strikes and a Ricola Bomb is countered into a rana and pin attempt by Eddie, but Claudio rolls through and gets the win. Great finish.
Winner and STILL ROH World Heavyweight Champion: Claudio Castagnoli
Rating: ****1/2. Great match for the championship. Lots of cool counters and near falls that had the crowd, and me, into it.
Post match, Claudio and Yuta go to attack, but out walks Shibata to back off the BCC.
Final Thoughts: Absolute classic Ring of Honor PPV. Top to bottom, all of the matches delivered. Shibata winning the title was a heck of a surprise, Claudio and Eddie delivered in a classic, the ladder match was insane, just a very easy to watch, entertaining, three hours of professional wrestling. 9/10.