Former AEW and Ring of Honor wrestler Leyla Hirsch has reportedly gained the interest of WWE, but not for the position one might initially expect.
Fightful Select first reported Tuesday that Hirsch was reached out to for a “potential tryout” as a referee, possibly as early as June. The outlet then confirmed Wednesday that Hirsch reached out to WWE to “communicate interest” for a referee spot and that a tryout will happen soon.
Hirsch parted ways with AEW & ROH at the end of February as her contract expired, ending her run with the Tony Khan companies that began in October 2020. The 28-year-old announced in March she was returning to the indies and has wrestled seven times since April including a Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport bout and recently for Beyond Wrestling.
Hirsch’s in-ring career began in 2017, making her AEW debut in October 2020. A torn ACL suffered in 2022 kept the Russian native out of action for more than a year. Of the course of her run, she became more of a fixture in ROH as opposed to AEW.
Leyla Hirsch feels like there was a lot left for her to accomplish in AEW and ROH.
The 28-year-old Hirsch departed AEW at the end of February when her contract with the promotion was not renewed. Speaking with the Soul Sessions wrestling interview show, Hirsch had kind words for the people she met in AEW. But Hirsch described her AEW run as only being “decent” because of all the goals she still had remaining.
A torn ACL that Hirsch suffered in 2022 kept her out of action for more than a year — and she pointed to that as a turning point where things were never the same for her after that. Hirsch felt like she always delivered in the ring, but she expressed frustration over a lack of opportunity to tell stories.
“I’m going to be really honest, because I’m a very honest person, I think my time in AEW was decent. I didn’t accomplish half the stuff I would have liked to, especially coming back from an ACL injury,” Hirsch said. “I kept having hopes and hopes. I would pitch stuff. I would rarely pitch things, because I’m not like that. But if I did, it’s because I think it was something that was worth it. So the one thing I pitched to Tony [Khan] was telling my story of coming here from Russia. And just, you know what I mean, because that was my story with [Kris] Statlander that never — I never got to see it through, which was so frustrating. Because it’s something I know that would have really elevated my career, and also I think it would have definitely done good for the company.
“I feel like I put so much effort into Ring of Honor, so much energy. And the last couple of months, I just feel like, this is where I say there’s so much that we don’t control. And I can just say as a performer, like, I tried my best. I try to pitch stuff. I try to work well with whatever is given to us, even at sometimes it made no sense and it was beyond frustrating. That’s the one thing I will just say, I feel like I was losing the performer I knew I was capable of being. I didn’t feel like I was ‘Legit’ Leyla Hirsch. And that’s the most frustrating part. So when people like criticize AEW or Ring of Honor, I think to a certain extent, I can understand. Some fans, or like just some people, they can see what’s happening, you know? And no company is perfect. No company is ever perfect. Tony has a million things that he’s doing, that he’s orchestrating, right?”
Hirsch said she learned a lot — both good and bad — during her time with AEW. One of those lessons was that fans want stories. She knows AEW is capable of telling amazing stories like Mariah May vs. Toni Storm, but it was a struggle to get any storylines in ROH.
“I learned so much being with AEW. So much — good and bad. And the one thing I’ve learned is, like, with fans, what they want is stories. That’s one of the things with Ring of Honor, it just felt like such a struggle,” Hirsch said. “Because we wanted to tell stories. But then I feel like, any time we pitched something, I guess depending who you are, it just didn’t matter. So for me it just felt like nothing I did, or even if I tried, it wasn’t going to matter. Which as a performer, I think it sucks. Especially when, to me, like again, I care. I showed up every week to work, to do something, to make something happen. So, in that aspect, as a performer, it’s tough when you know there could be so much potential. You want Ring of Honor to succeed, you want the people in Ring of Honor to succeed, but, again, there’s so much that we don’t have control of. So when AEW does storylines, they’re amazing. I use Mariah and Toni as an example. Look at what they were able to do. But, again, they were invested in that. Like, Tony and the writers, they had a whole team. And for the rest of us, it’s like we kind of just had to figure it out.”
Six weeks before her contract was set to expire, Hirsch asked to have a conversation with Tony Khan about what the plan for her would be if she stayed with AEW. That conversation never happened, but she had a “really good” talk with one of the lawyers and someone else about her contract and her frustrations. Hirsch said she wanted to stay in AEW but wanted to grow as a performer.
Hirsch felt good about the talk and was told that she would hear back the first week of February, but they waited until two weeks before her deal was up to tell her that her contract was not being renewed. The deal expired on Hirsch’s wedding day.
If she was complacent, Hirsch feels like she would still be with AEW. But she doesn’t have any regrets over how things played out and feels like she handled things professionally. Hirsch said she’ll always be grateful for the platform AEW gave her. She would be open to returning in the future if the issues that caused her frustrations are changed.
Hirsch is set to compete against Jordan Blade at Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport XIII in Las Vegas this Thursday. On Sunday, she’ll be in Toronto to challenge Jody Threat for the Smash Wrestling Women’s Championship
The full episode of Soul Sessions can be watched below:
Leyla Hirsch is set to return to the ring following the expiration of her AEW contract.
Hirsch’s contract reportedly expired on February 28, 2025, ending her run with the company that began in October 2020. She announced her return to the independent wrestling scene via social media on Tuesday.
Hirsch wrote:
“After taking some time to reflect and recharge, I’m beyond excited to announce that I’m BACK on the independent wrestling scene! I’ve missed the rush, the fans, and the adrenaline that comes with stepping into that ring. I’m ready to bring the passion and the performance you know and love! Now accepting bookings! Serious inquiries only.”
Hirsch hasn’t wrestled since ROH Final Battle 2024, where she unsuccessfully challenged Red Velvet for the TV title. She had been wrestling primarily in Ring of Honor following her return from a torn ACL suffered in April 2022 that sidelined her for 14 months.
Prior to signing with AEW, Hirsch was trained by Joe Gacy and made her debut for Combat Zone Wrestling in 2017. She also spent three months wrestling for Stardom in 2020 and did a tour in Germany with wXw in 2019. In 2021, Hirsch was in the semi-main event of the NWA Empowerrr pay-per-view, losing to then-NWA Women’s World Champion Kamille.
A wrestler who recently departed AEW is the latest addition to the Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport XIII lineup.
Leyla Hirsch will be competing at GCW’s Bloodsport event in Las Vegas on Thursday, April 17, though no opponent for her has been announced yet. The show is taking place from the Pearl Concert Theater at the Palms Casino Resort and will stream live on TrillerTV+,
“Returning to Josh Barnett’s: Bloodsport is a cold blooded killer,” Josh Barnett tweeted while hyping Hirsch’s addition to the Bloodsport card. “A machine without empathy that legitimately thrills in the destruction of her opponents.”
The 28-year-old Hirsch departed AEW when her contract expired at the end of February. Her last match for the promotion took place at ROH Final Battle in December 2024.
This will be Hirsch’s first time wrestling at Bloodsport since 2020, when she lost to Lindsay Snow.
No matches have been announced for Bloodsport XIII yet, but Zack Sabre Jr., WWE star Natalya, Miyu Yamashita, Maika, Jonathan Gresham, Tom Lawlor, and Timothy Thatcher are among the talent that will be competing at the MMA-inspired pro wrestling show.
The run of “Legit” Leyla Hirsch in AEW and ROH appears to be at its end.
PWInsider reported Thursday that the female wrestler’s contract expires on Friday, February 28th and that she is not expected to return, making her a free agent. It’s unknown if both parties came to that understanding.
The 28-year-old debuted with AEW in October 2020 and signed her first contract in March 2021. In total, she wrestled 56 times in AEW, last appearing as part of a June 2024 Collision on the losing end of a tag team match.
Hirsch missed a good portion of 2022 due to a torn ACL suffered in April of that year. She returned to action more than a year later in July 2023, transitioned to appearing more frequently for Ring of Honor where she wrestled 37 times. Her final appearance was at December 2024’s Final Battle where she unsuccessfully challenged Women’s TV Champion Red Velvet.
The Moscow, Russia-born Hirsch has yet to post publicly on X about her status. She hasn’t wrestled anywhere since Final Battle.
Ring of Honor Women’s TV Champion Red Velvet will put her title on the line against Leyla Hirsch at December’s Final Battle — the first match announced for the streaming special.
Velvet defeated Billie Starkz for the title at July’s Death Before Dishonor and has defended it twice, both times against Diamante. Hirsch has won her last two matches.
Both women are also part of the ROH portion of the Wrestle Dynasty International Women’s Cup but the pairings for the four-woman mini-tournament have yet to be announced.
The two have an extensive history in AEW and ROH both opposing and teaming with each other, dating back to October 2020. They squared off in the inaugural Women’s TV title tournament with Velvet picking up the win.
Here’s the current lineup for the Friday, December 20th streaming special from the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City:
ROH Women’s TV Champion Red Velvet defends against Leyla Hirsch
ROH participants for the Wrestle Dynasty International Women’s Cup match have been revealed.
During AEW Full Gear Zero Hour, it was revealed that ROH Women’s Champion Athena, ROH Women’s Television Champion Red Velvet, Billie Starkz, and Leyla Hirsch will face off in a four-way match at an undetermined date. The winner of their four-way match will advance to another four-way match at Wrestle Dynasty on January 5 at the Tokyo Dome, where the winner will receive the International Women’s Cup.
Three other four-way matches in AEW, CMLL, and Stardom will determine the rest of the Wrestle Dynasty participants. Earlier this week, it was announced that CMLL’s four-way will take place on December 13 between Zeuxis, Reyna Isis, Persephone, and Sanely.
Wrestle Dynasty (Sunday, January 5) —
Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Ricochet
Kenny Omega vs. Gabe Kidd
Jack Perry vs. Yota Tsuji
Tomohiro Ishii challenges either Shingo Takagi or Konosuke Takeshita for the NEVER Openweight Championship (will be a double title match with the AEW International Championship also on the line if Takeshita is still champion going into Wrestle Kingdom 19)
For the first time since February, Sammy Guevara is back in a Tony Khan-owned wrestling company.
The former AEW TNT Champion made his return on Thursday’s weekly ROH TV on HonorClub to aid Dustin Rhodes from a beatdown by members of the Dark Order. Rhodes was delivering some words about becoming an ROH Six-Man Tag Team Champion to close the show when Evil Uno came out to deride him, leading to the aforementioned attack.
That brought out Guevara to aid his former rival, taking out Uno and sending both Alex Reynolds and John Silver packing. Afterward, Rhodes was skeptical to shake Guevara’s hand based on their past battles in AEW but eventually relinquished and embraced him as the show went off the air.
Guevara’s last match was in a no DQ loss to Powerhouse Hobbs on a late-February edition of AEW Collision. He was then suspended by AEW due to his no DQ match against Jeff Hardy that took place a week prior to the Hobbs bout in which Hardy broke his nose and Guevara subsequently ignored instructions to go to the finish per concussion protocol.
— ROH – Ring of Honor Wrestling (@ringofhonor) August 2, 2024
Other notes:
During the broadcast, Ian Riccaboni noted that Leyla Hirsch suffered a dislocated elbow in her Texas Death Match against Diamante at last Friday’s Death Before Dishonor. It’s unknown if the injury is storyline or not.
After disappearing from AEW and ROH for three months, Leila Grey followed up from last week’s return to AEW Rampage with an appearance on Thursday’s ROH show, aligning with Top Flight as their “flight attendant.” Grey has competed in ROH seven times before with just two wins to her name.
Afterward, The Infantry (Shawn Dean, Carlie Bravo & Trish Adora) were backstage and didn’t appear happy with Grey’s decision:
— ROH – Ring of Honor Wrestling (@ringofhonor) August 1, 2024
The team did get some good news as they challenged reigning ROH Tag Team Champions The Undisputed Kingdom to a rematch for the titles that was accepted. A date for the match was not announced. The two teams clashed at April’s Supercard of Honor with Mike Bennett and Matt Taven picking up the successful title defense.
After retaining the #ROH World Tag Team Titles at Death Before Dishonor, @MattTaven & @RealMikeBennett stand face to face with a familiar foe.
The TBS Championship is on the line in an Open House match on this week’s AEW Rampage.
Julia Hart defends her TBS title against “Legit” Leyla Hirsch in an Open House match, where rope breaks are not enforced, the countouts are 20 seconds, DQs will be enforced, and the challenger gets to choose a stipulation. Hirsch made the challenge to Hart on last week’s Rampage.
Three more matches have also been announced for tonight’s episode.
Orange Cassidy is also in action on tonight’s episode against Alex Reynolds of The Dark Order.
The Bang Bang Gang’s Jay White — an ROH Six-Man Tag Team Champion — goes one-on-one with Matt Sydal.
“Cool Hand Ang” Angelo Parker will take on Zak Knight in a bout that was originally advertised for Collision on March 16, but pulled from the show. Parker is aligned with former Outcast Ruby Soho, while Knight is aligned with Harley Cameron and his sister Saraya.
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Taped in Charleston, West Virginia.
Excalibur, Chris Jericho and Tony Schivone were on commentary.
Orange Cassidy defeated Alex Reynolds (w/ John Silver) (10:33)
Silver and Reynolds mock Cassidy with a pre-match hug. Cassidy caught Silver with a spinning DDT. Silver ducked to the floor to avoid the Orange Punch, but Cassidy followed Silver with a tope. Cassidy abused Silver on the floor by whipping him into the ring barricade.
Back in the ring, Reynolds caught Cassidy with a forearm. While Reynolds distracted the referee, Silver pulled Cassidy out of the ring and gave him a brainbuster on the floor. Back in the ring, Cassidy caught Reynolds with a sunset flip for a near fall. Reynolds came back with a back elbow, then a hangman’s neckbreaker for a near fall.
Reynolds dominated Cassidy through the commercial break. After the break, Cassidy made his comeback with a shotgun dropkick and stomps in the corner. Cassidy came off the top with a crossbody, then took out Silver with a tope. Reynolds caught Cassidy with a pop-up knee strike and a stuff piledriver for a near fall.
Cassidy went to the top, but Silver crotched him. Reynolds took Cassidy down with an avalanche stunner for a near fall. Silver tried to give Cassidy a brainbuster on the floor again, but Cassidy countered with a slumdog millionaire. Reynolds caught Silver with a crossbody, Cassidy took out Silver with a Orange Punch. Cassidy finished off Reynolds with the Orange Punch for the win.
After the match, Renee Paquette tried to interview Cassidy, but Trent Beretta came down to ringside. Chuck Taylor came up from behind Cassidy to stop Beretta. Beretta left, then Taylor left. And Cassidy never said anything.
– Alex Marvez interviewed Anna Jay, who doesn’t think anyone is taking the women’s division seriously. AZM from Stardom interrupted, called Toni Storm’s crew stupid, and challenged her to a singles match on Collision. Later in the show, it was announced Storm and AZM will face off in an Eliminator Match on Collision.
Julia Hart defeated Leyla Hirsch to retain the TBS Championship (3:13)
This match was set up by Hirsch challenging Hart on Rampage last week, and Hart accepting that challenge. The House Rules stipulation has Brody King barred from ringside.
Hart has a teddy bear tattooed on her arm now, and I don’t know if that’s too cute or it ups the creep factor. Hart tripped up Hirsch and gave her a neckbreaker in the ropes. Hart wrapped up Hirsch in a head scissors in the ropes (kind of like Tajiri’s tarantula move) while mugging to the crowd. Hart did a cartwheel into a near bodyvice from Hirsch, who dumped her to the mat. Hirsch followed her out with a tope. Back in the ring, Hart reversed a small package and got the three out. Hart was selling her shoulder (which was taped up) after the match.
– Don Callis coaches up Powerhouse Hobbs and Kyle Fletcher in advance of their tag match tomorrow night with Bryan Danielson and Claudio Castagnoli. Callis ordered them take them out like they used to in the old Portland territory (“Take his eye out!”) to protect the “golden goose” of the Callis family, Will Ospreay.
This is Knight’s AEW debut (on TV anyway) in a match built up exclusively on Rampage. Parker and Knight brawled around ringside before the match started. Knight sent Parker into the ring barricade and the time keeper’s area. Parker was busted open in the brawl on the floor.
When the match officially started in the ring, Knight worked over the cut on Parker’s head.
After a split screen break, Parker hit Knight with an implant DDT. Saraya and Cameron both got up on the apron to distract the referee Rick Knox, and Knox ejected them. Knight kicked Parker low and hit a pop-up powerbomb for two. Knight told Parker “I’ll take good care of Ruby!” and that sparked a brief comeback from Parker. Knight floored Parker with a lariat for two, then finished off Parker with a running forearm. Parker has now lost his mentor (Jericho), the girl (Soho) and the match. So what’s left for him?
– Alex Marvez interviewed Kyle O’Reilly & Rocky Romero. O’Reilly wants a match with Romero, which Romero will give him a match after he beats Roderick Strong for the International Title. Romero left and Strong arrived, offended that O’Reilly wants a shot at the International Title. Strong wants O’Reilly to be a champion, just not the International Champion.
– Excalibur ran down all two of the upcoming Blackpool Combat Club v. Don Callis Family matches ahead of the Bryan Danielson/Will Opsreay match at Dynasty.
Also announced for Collision, The House of Black will take on Action Andretti, Dante Martin and Matt Sydal.
Jay White (w/ The Gunn Club) defeated Matt Sydal (11:21)
Sydal was going for his 50th win in this match.
Sydal countered a pop-up powerbomb with a rana, then caught White with a steup up rana. Sydal hit a standing mariposa. White went to the floor, and Sydal followed him out with a meteora. Back in the ring, White caught Sydal with a stunner in the ropes. White suplexed Sydal face first into the ring apron.
After a split-screen break, White worked over Sydal with a chinlock. Sydal came back with a knee strike and a leg lariat. Sydal hit a series of kicks on White for a near fall. Sydal missed a move off the top, but countered a powerbomb attempt with a DDT for a near fall.
Sydal caught White with a roll up for a near fall. White hit a uranage for a near fall. White went for a sleeper suplex, but Sydal flipped through it and landed on his feet. Sydal took White down with a poisoned rana. Sydal came off the top looking for a metetora, but White stepped back and took out Sydal with the Blade Runner and got the pinfall. White really needed a squash here after getting dominated by Billy Gunn last week.
This was a pretty uninspired episode of Rampage, and Battle of the Belts X doesn’t look any better.
Julia Hart will defend the TBS Championship in an Open House Challenge match on next week’s AEW Rampage.
“Legit” Leyla Hirsch issued a challenge to Hart for a TBS title match for next week in a backstage promo segment airing on Friday’s Rampage episode. Hirsch noted that she has been wrestling in ROH for the past year and compiling “one of the best records,” but that she wants to face the best.
Hart responded later in the show, accepting the Open House Challenge for next week’s episode.
Another match was teased for next week’s Rampage, although not officially announced.
Zak Knight promised to take “everything” from Angelo Parker on next week’s Rampage in a backstage promo with Saraya & Harley Cameron on Friday’s show.
Knight and Parker were originally booked to face one another in a match on the March 16 Collision, but the bout was pulled from that show and has yet to take place since.
The official lineup for the Friday, April 12 Rampage to this point:
TBS Champion Julia Hart defends against “Legit” Leyla Hirsch in an Open House Challenge
Some big matches have been announced for ROH TV this week.
After weeks of build, Athena will look to defend her ROH Women’s World Championship against Nyla Rose in a best two-of-three falls tables match on the show.
The tension continues to escalate as it comes to a head on THURSDAY NIGHT in a 2-out-of-3 falls TABLES MATCH for the #ROH Women's World Title! The champion @AthenaPalmer_FG will take on the challenger @NylaRoseBeast!
The ROH Women’s World title will be defended on tonight’s episode of ROH TV on HonorClub.
Athena will put her title on the line against Leyla Hirsch on the show. She will be going for her 16th successful title defense since winning the belt at Final Battle on December 10, 2022. Hirsch has picked up wins over Laynie Luck, Lady Frost, Leila Grey, and Rachael Ellering in recent weeks on ROH TV.
Fred Rosser will also make his ROH debut tonight. He’s scheduled to wrestle Scorpio Sky, who defeated Tony Nese on last week’s show.
Other matches scheduled for this week’s show include Tony Nese vs. Satoshi Kojima, Rocky Romero vs. Christopher Daniels, and Billie Starkz vs. Trish Adora. Ethan Page and Josh Woods are also both advertised to be “in action.”
This week’s show was filmed on Saturday from Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle following AEW Collision. Spoilers for the show are available here.
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The show started with ROH World Champion Eddie Kingston talking about his title defense at WrestleDream against Katsuyori Shibata. He praised Shibata before talking about the issues that have come up with Jay Lethal and ROH Board of Directors member Stokely Hathaway.
ROH Women’s World Title Match – Athena (w/Billie Starkz) (c) defeated Leyla Hirsch
Athena’s best title defense since Death Before Dishonor and the best Hirsch match I’ve ever seen. This is a match worth checking out.
Hirsch caught Athena with a dropkick before hitting a pendulum dropkick in the corner. Hirsch hit a dive to Athena on the floor. Athena avoided a throw into the ring steps, then dropkicked Hirsch near the steps. Hirsch threw Athena into the stairs, but Athena stuffed a suplex off of the stairs and dumped Hirsch to the floor with a gourdbuster.
Athena clubbered on Hirsch until Hirsch reversed an Irish Whip into the corner. Hirsch vaulted over Athena and caught her in a sleeper hold until Athena threw her down to the mat. Hirsch caught Athena with a roll-up, but Athena kicked out and floored Hirsch with a forearm. Athena clubbered on Hirsch some more until Hirsch fought back, hitting a German suplex for a nearfall.
Athena kipped up into a headscissors that sent Hirsch into the turnbuckles. Athena bounced Hirsch off of the ropes into position for a rolling senton. Athena went up for the O-Face, but Hirsch brought her down and locked her in an armbar. Hirsch transitioned into a triangle choke, but Athena hit a one-armed powerbomb for a nearfall.
They traded forearms until Athena hit a strike combination, then countered a forearm by locking Hirsch in a crossface. Hirsch got out of it and got an armbar in, but Athena stomped and forearmed her way out. Hirsch went to the top rope, but Athena hit a jumping kick and met her on the top rope. Hirsch brought Athena down with a cartwheel German suplex. Hirsch went for a moonsault, but Athena superkicked her down. Athena hit the move now called Despicable Knee for the win.
Athena superkicked Hirsch after the match. She went to throw Hirsch into the belt, but Starkz was able to talk her down. Maria Kanellis-Bennett walked to the stage, looking disapprovingly at Hirsch.
Lexy Nair was backstage with Christopher Daniels and his opponent tonight, Rocky Romero. They gave each other respect and said the better man would win.
Josh Woods (w/Mark Sterling) defeated Tyler Payne
Payne eluded Woods for a minute before Woods caught up to him and hammered him with strikes. Woods hit the Tilt-A-Woods for the quick win.
Rocky Romero defeated Christopher Daniels
The crowd chanted Defy, as both men wrestle in the local independent promotion in Seattle.Romero won the early exchange, sending Daniels to the floor and following him with a dive. Romero hit a knee off the apron, but Daniels avoided the Forever clotheslines and hit a T-Bone suplex.
Daniels held serve until Romero rolled out of a back suplex and hit a tornado DDT. Romero hit the Forever Clotheslines before tying Daniels into the ropes and hitting a springboard dropkick for a nearfall. Daniels cut Romero off on the top rope and hit a top rope hurricanrana for a nearfall. Romero backdropped out of the Angel’s Wings, hitting a rewind kick and the running Sliced Bread for the win.
Lexy Nair was backstage with Dalton Castle. Castle felt a lot of pressure to come through for the fans and needed to find a way to give the people what they wanted and what they deserved.
Scorpio Sky defeated Fred Rosser
I wouldn’t mind Fred Rosser being a regular in ROH, as he’s a great talent. His work on the NJPW STRONG brand would fit right in here in the AEW universe.
No entrance for Rosser, the former NJPW STRONG Openweight Champion. Sky caught Rosser on a dropdown before driving Rosser into the corner with forearms. Sky went to the middle rope, but Rosser pulled him down to the mat. Rosser hit chop/lariat combinations before hitting Sky with driving hip attacks.
Rosser held Sky down with headlocks before Sky dropped Rosser with a lariat. Rosser walked into a Sky High from Sky for a nearfall. Rosser rocked Sky with a rolling forearm, then dropped Sky on the apron with a side suplex. Sky countered a suplex with a cradle for a nearfall, then ducked a rolling forearm to hit a TKO for the win.
Kiera Hogan, Skye Blue & Willow Nightingale defeated Lady Frost, Charlette Renegade & Robyn Renegade
Frost and Nightingale started with forearms, with Nightingale dropping Frost with a bodyslam and a low crossbody. Blue and Hogan hit dual superkicks for a nearfall. The Renegades pulled Nightingale and Hogan out of the corner as Frost dropped Blue by the hair.
The Renegades and Frost clubbered on Blue in the corner. Blue flipped out of a double suplex to make the tag to Hogan, who ran wild on the Renegades with hip attacks. Hogan hit a sliding kick on a Renegade for a nearfall. The match broke down into a Pier Six brawl before the Renegades went for a double team on Hogan. Hogan avoided it and got a tag to Nightingale, who hit Charlette with the Babe With The Powerbomb for the win.
Lexy Nair was backstage with The Infantry. Bravo and Dean talked up their match against TMDK and Adora’s match against Billie Starkz later tonight. This was a nice establishing promo for this group.
Ethan Page defeated Invictus Khash
Khash used the Code of Honor to trap Page’s arm, but Page quickly got out of the hold with a bodyslam. Page hit a twisting suplex. Khash countered a corner charge with punches, but Page hit a high kick. Khash escaped the Ego’s Edge and hit a rolling elbow, but Page low-bridged him to the floor. Page hit a running shoulder block to the floor, before rolling Khash into the ring and hitting the Headshot for the win.
Lexy Nair was backstage with Tony Nese & Smart Mark Sterling. They said that carbs were the enemy, and waged war against anyone who liked bread. Nese faces Satoshi Kojima later tonight.
Bravo started with Haste, getting the advantage on him before the Infantry got a double-team combination for a nearfall. Nicholls cut Dean off from the floor, allowing TMDK to take control. TMDK hit a senton/fist drop combination for a nearfall.
TMDK held serve on Dean until he fought through them to get the tag to Bravo. Bravo ran wild, hitting Haste with a Deadfall for a nearfall. TMDK took Bravo down off the top rope with an assisted superplex for a nearfall. The match broke down to a Pier Four brawl, ending with Nicholls hitting a spinebuster on Bravo. TMDK hit the Tankbuster for the win.
Lexy Nair was backstage with Ethan Page. Nair noted that Eddie Kingston was watching Page. Page responded that his ego was rebuilding and that he would soon be ready for Kingston and anyone else in Ring of Honor.
Satoshi Kojima defeated Tony Nese (w/Mark Sterling)
Nese dumped on bread before Kojima made his entrance. Kojima told Nese that he liked bread before Nese stomped on the loaf of bread he came out with. Kojima had control early on until Sterling hooked his boot from the floor. Sterling got a boot in on Kojima on the floor.
Nese held control of Kojima as the crowd chanted their approval of bread. Nese hit Kojima with a dropkick before locking on a bodyscissors. Kojima caught Nese in the corner and fired up with the machine gun chops. Kojima hit a diving elbow for a nearfall. Kojima hit a DDT and went for the Koji Cutter, but Nese chopped Kojima in the throat. Nese hung Kojima on the ropes before hitting a triangle moonsault for a nearfall.
The two men traded strikes before Nese went for a pumphandle slam. Kojima escaped and hit the Koji Cutter. Kojima loaded up for the Western Lariat, but Sterling got on the apron to distract him. Nese hit a spinning back kick to Kojima, but ran right into a Western Lariat from Kojima, scoring Kojima the win. After the match, Kojima stuffed bread down Nese’s throat and celebrated.
We got more Minion Training with Athena, Billie Starkz, and Lexy Nair. Nair passed, but Starkz failed again.
Billie Starkz (w/Athena) defeated Trish Adora
Adora took Starkz’ arm to start, forcing Athena to give Starkz a pep talk on the outside. Starkz came back with fire, but Adora dropped her with a bridging German suplex for a nearfall. Adora drilled Starkz with forearms before following up with hip attacks in the corner. Starkz came back with a pull-up forearm before going to the top rope for a swanton, but Adora got the knees up. Starkz hit the Star-Ten and locked on a crossface for the win.
Darius Martin defeated Lee Johnson
An opening exchange saw a stalemate, but Johnson caught Martin with a low dropkick. Martin came back with a big dropkick of his own. Johnson sent Martin into the turnbuckle before hitting a back suplex for a nearfall. Johnson held serve on Martin as Shane Taylor and Lee Moriarty watched from backstage.
Martin blocked an ankle trap and brought Johnson down with a back suplex. Martin fired up, hitting a combination that ended with an outside-in flatliner for a nearfall. Johnson ducked a forearm and hit a snap German suplex before hitting a Blue Thunder Bomb for a nearfall. Martin ducked a corner charge, but Johnson caught him with a superkick on another flatliner. Martin came back with a superkick and a frog splash to score the win.
Shane Taylor Promotions (Lee Moriarty & Shane Taylor) defeated Cole Karter & Griff Garrison (w/Maria Kanellis-Bennett), The Work Horsemen (Anthony Henry & JD Drake), & Iron Savages (Boulder & Bronson) (w/Jacked Jameson)
Karter kept tagging in and getting beat up by the others, so he tagged Garrison in to get pinballed by the Work Horsemen. Karter dragged Garrison out, allowing Moriarty to dropkick Drake in the ring. Henry and Taylor traded shots, with Taylor scoring with a headbutt and a uranage. Taylor hit a splash for a nearfall.
Henry got clubbered on by the other teams, with Karter hitting a dropkick for a nearfall. Garrison hit a big boot for a nearfall before Henry fought to his corner to get a tag to Drake. Taylor and Drake inadvertently worked together to hammer on Karter before the match broke down into a Pier Six brawl. The Savages got involved, leading to Bronson hitting a dive to the floor onto the pile. Boulder went to take down Karter, but Maria threatened the Savage Sauce. Taylor tagged in and laid out Karter with a knockout punch for the win.
Metalik and Loco started, with Metalik hitting a ropewalk headscissors off the bat. We got a pair of lucha armdrags before Angelico and Komander tagged in respectively. Komander ran wild, hitting a strike combination on Angelico before assisting Gravity in a splash for a nearfall. Serpentico tagged in, getting a headscissors in on Gravity. Gravity hit a deadweight splash for a nearfall.
They traded strikes before the match broke down into a Pier Six brawl. Loco and the SAP hit a triple dropkick on Gravity for a nearfall. Gravity caught Loco on a corner charge, sitting him on the top rope. Angelico and Serpentico threw Gravity up into a Loco diving powerbomb for a nearfall. Komander tagged in and blocked three corner charges before hopping onto Loco’s shoulders to hit a rana on Angelico.
Metalik tagged in and hit a pop-up rana on Loco. Angelico took a rana as well before Metalik and Gravity hit dives to the floor. Komander went for his rope walk dive, but Gringo Loco met him on the top and hit a Spanish Fly. Loco hit a dive to the floor but missed Komander on a moonsault in the ring. Komander hit a step-up Canadian Destroyer before hitting the rope walk Shooting Star Press for the win.
Eight matches are part of this Thursday’s Ring of Honor TV lineup as the road to next Friday’s Death Before Dishonor continues.
After her Owen Hart Foundation tournament semifinal Wednesday on AEW Dynamite, ROH Women’s Champion Athena will take on Ava Lawless in a non-title match.
After making her surprise return on last week’s show, Leyla Hirsch will have her first singles match in more than a year as she battles Bambi Hall. Hirsch tore her ACL on a Dark match in Boston in April 2022. She joined up with The Kingdom in an intergender trios match last Thursday as a substitute for Maria Kanellis-Bennett.
ROH Six-Man Tag Team Champions Mogul Embassy (Brian Cage, Bishop Kaun & Toa Liona) will be in non-title action against Darius Martin, Matt Sydal & Christopher Daniels.
Here’s the full eight-match lineup that will air on HonorClub:
Leyla Hirsch vs. Bambi Hall
Shane Taylor vs. Shawn Dean
Big Bill vs. Serpentico
Tony Nese vs. Dalton Castle
The Boys (Brandon & Brett Tate) vs. The Kingdom (Matt Taven & Michael Bennett)
The Righteous & Stu Grayson vs. Levi Knight, Michael Allen Richard Clark & Evan Rivers
ROH Six-Man Tag Team Champions Mogul Embassy (Brian Cage, Bishop Kaun & Toa Liona) vs. Darius Martin, Matt Sydal and Christopher Daniels in a non-title match
ROH Women’s Champion Athena vs. Ava Lawless in a non-title match
“Legit” Leyla Hirsch returned to the ring on Thursday’s Ring of Honor TV episode after being sidelined for more than a year due to injury.
Competing in her first match since tearing her right ACL in a match at an AEW Dark Elevation taping in Boston on April 6, 2022, Hirsch teamed with Mike Bennett & Matt Taven in a win over Shawn Dean, Carlie Bravo & Trish Adora in the main event of Thursday’s Ring of Honor TV.
The mixed tag match was originally announced as Maria Kanellis teaming with Bennett & Taven, but Kanellis announced before the bout that she was not medically cleared to compete. Hirsch then made her surprise return as the replacement for Kanellis. The match was taped on June 29, 2023.
Hirsch tore her ACL in a match against Christina Marie last April, then underwent surgery to repair the injury on May 26, 2022.
After beginning her career on the independent scene, Hirsch debuted for AEW in October 2020 on Dark against Hikaru Shida. AEW then announced that Hirsch had signed with the company on March 15, 2021.
Leyla Hirsch has revealed that she suffered a torn ACL last month.
In a tweet on Thursday, Hirsch announced that she’s undergone surgery for a torn ACL. The injury happened during a match that was being taped for Dark: Elevation on April 6.
“On April [6th], during AEW Dark Elevation, I suffered an injury. After landing on my feet from a moonsault, I tore my ACL. Today I was finally able to get my surgery,” Hirsch wrote. “Thank you to everyone for the support . I promise to come back an improved, leaner, meaner more Legit Athlete.”
On April 5th, during AEW Dark Elevation, I suffered an injury. After landing on my feet from a moonsault, I tore my ACL. Today I was finally able to get my surgery.
Thank you to everyone for the support . I promise to come back an improved, leaner, meaner more Legit Athlete. pic.twitter.com/dzDEFcRGCo
Hirsch was facing local competitor Christina Marie in the Dark: Elevation match. Hirsch injured her knee on a somersault flip out of the corner. Hirsch landed feet-first, went down as soon as she landed, and grabbed her knee. The match was stopped and never aired.
Prior to her injury, Hirsch defeated Red Velvet on the March 23 episode of Dynamite. There was then a post-match angle where Kris Statlander saved Red Velvet when Hirsch wouldn’t let go of an armbar.
Hirsch also defeated Ella Envy on the April 4 edition of Dark: Elevation.
Hirsch would be expected to be out of action for several months due to the torn ACL.
