A match on the October 20 edition of Rampage was pulled last minute when one wrestler refused to put the other over.
Metalik and Komander were scheduled to have a singles match on the show. However, our own Dave Meltzer reported in today’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter that Metalik was not willing to lose the match, resulting in it being scrapped from the show.
“The reason the 10/25 Rampage show had only three matches instead of four is because Komander vs. Metalik was booked for the show and then pulled when Metalik refused to put Komander over,” Meltzer wrote. “Metalik still worked Collision a few days later but that can’t have helped his standing here.”
Metalik had just lost to Komander in a singles match taped for ROH TV on October 14. The match aired on October 19. Metalik was back on the October 28 ROH taping and wrestled in a four-way with Angelico, Slim J, and Gringo Loco. Last week, Metalik was in Tijuana for a show with The Crash on November 3.
As for Komander, his availability for AAA TV tapings on Saturdays is now in doubt, as AEW wants him to work their weekend shows.
“AEW pretty much said they wanted Komander every Saturday and that leaves it being difficult to book since AAA’s TVs are often on Saturdays,” Meltzer wrote.
NJPW TV Champion Zack Sabre Jr. will defend his title once again as part of tonight’s Ring of Honor on HonorClub.
Sabre Jr. will defend against Metalik in their second-ever meeting. The first was in the 2016 WWE Cruiserweight Classic semifinals where Metalik got the win.
The ROH Six-Man titles will be on the line as The Embassy (Brian Cage, Toa Liona & Bishop Kaun) will defend against Lee Johnson, Darius Martin & Action Andretti.
Ahead of their involvement in an ROH Tag Team title eliminator battle royal on Rampage Friday, The Outrunners will take on Angelico & Serpentico.
Former ROH Pure Champion Josh Woods will take on John Walters while Marina Shafir will be in action against Angelica Risk.
The WorkHorsemen (JD Drake & Anthony Henry) will team up with Lee Moriarty in a trios bout.
Emi Sakura and Cole Karter will also be in singles matches against opponents to be named.
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NJPW World Television Title Match – Zack Sabre Jr. defeated Metalik to retain the title
This was Sabre’s 12th defence of the title.
If this matchup looks familiar, it’s because these two wrestled in the semifinals of WWE’s Cruiserweight Classic back in 2016. Sabre hunted for submissions early, but Metalik was able to slip away and standoff with Sabre. Sabre offered a handshake before turning it into a wristlock. Metalik picked up the pace by hooking Sabre’s arm and hitting a step-up hurricanrana.
They jostled for position on a hip toss, but Sabre hooked the arm and cranked the bicep. Sabre focused on the arm, hitting a pair of bicep stomps while mouthing off to the crowd. Metalik used the good arm to hit an overhand chop before hitting two ropewalk dropkicks and a dive to Sabre on the floor. Metalik took Sabre back into the ring and hit a ropewalk crossbody for a nearfall.
Sabre came back with a La Mistica into a Cobra Twist that he took to the ground, but Metalik was able to squirm to the ropes. Sabre went back for the arm, but Metalik came back with a satellite DDT for a nearfall. They got into a pinning predicament before Metalik hit a thrust kick. Metalik went for a ropewalk elbow drop, but Sabre caught him in a Fujiwara armbar. Sabre hooked both of Metalik’s arms, forcing Metalik to submit with his foot.
Backstage, Lexy Nair was with Cole Karter & Maria Kanellis-Bennett. Nair asked Karter what he said to Griff Garrison last week. Karter said that Kanellis wanted to give Garrison an opportunity, with Kanellis noting that it would be good for Karter and Garrison to team up. Karter asked Kanellis to accompany him to ringside tonight, and after some reluctance, Kanellis agreed.
Josh Woods defeated John Walters
After both men worked to gain control of the other’s arm, Woods hooked Walters’ leg on a leapfrog and took him down. Walters went for a pair of pinfalls, but Woods caught him with a big running knee. Woods locked on his standing scorpion lock to score the win.
Lee Moriarty & The WorkHorsemen (Anthony Henry & JD Drake) defeated Beef, Invictus Khash & Lord Crewe
Moriarty and the WorkHorsemen got a jump start on their opponents. Khash hit a bodyslam on Moriarty, but Moriarty landed a knee to his back and tagged out to Henry. Crewe tagged in and caught Henry with a rollup, but Drake got a blind tag and hit a DDT. Crewe hit a hurricane kick on Henry before tagging in Beef, who ran wild on Moriarty. Beef caught nothing but canvas on a frog splash, allowing the WorkHorsemen to score the win with a foot stomp from Henry and a moonsault from Drake.
Cole Karter (w/Maria Kanellis-Bennett) defeated Dustin Jackson
Jackson sent Karter into the corner with a dropkick, but Karter caught him with two dropkicks of his own. Karter soon after hit the Eye of the Beholder DDT variant for the win.
Emi Sakura defeated Alice Crowley
Crowley brought the fight to Sakura, taking her down with a lucha arm drag. Sakura took Crowley down with a chop to the throat. Crowley moved out of the way of a Vader Bomb and fought back, but Sakura forced her into the corner with chops. Crowley fought out with a Perfect Plex for a nearfall. Sakura spun her out with a reverse Cross Rhodes. Sakura hit the Imperial Backbreaker for the win.
Backstage, Lexy Nair was with Josh Woods & Smart Mark Sterling. Sterling gave Woods the challenges he wanted before hyping up his accomplishments. He says that Woods will run the Pure Division.
Spanish Announce Project (Angelico & Serpentico) defeated The Outrunners (Truth Magnum & Turbo Floyd)
Serpentico got the early advantage, keeping Magnum off balance with his offense. Angelico tagged in and hit a big kick to the back for a nearfall. Serpentico came back in and hit a thrust kick, but Magnum rolled out of the way and laid out Serpentico with a lariat.
The Outrunners clubbered on Serpentico before he got to the corner and tagged in Angelico. Angelico ran wild, catching Floyd in an STF that Magnum broke up. Serpentico sent Magnum to the floor, allowing Angelico to lock on a submission and score the win. I think this is the first win of Serpentico’s AEW career, but I’ll be sure to fact-check that one.
Marina Shafir defeated Angelica Risk
Risk went for…something before Shafir slammed her down. Shafir ripped Risk down with a pair of judo throws. Risk tried to throw some strikes, but Shafir booted her down. Shafir locked on a triangle choke for the win, hanging onto it after the bell.
ROH World Six Man Tag Team Title Match – The Mogul Embassy (Bishop Kaun, Brian Cage & Toa Liona) (w/Prince Nana) defeated Action Andretti, Darius Martin & Lee Johnson to retain the titles
Andretti, Martin, & Johnson did a great job of building up to their big nearfall, as I thought they had a chance to win the titles here.
The champs got a jump start, with Cage hitting an F-5 on Martin for a quick nearfall. Martin hit a rana to escape a powerbomb attempt, but Cage cut off an attempt at a tag with a lariat. Martin hit a tornado DDT before tagging into Johnson. Johnson rocked Cage with an enzuigiri and a superkick before hitting a big scoop and a slam. Kaun cut off Johnson’s momentum, allowing Cage to hit a neckbreaker out of the corner.
The Embassy clubbered on Johnson until he was able to make a tag out to Andretti. Andretti ran wild, taking out both Kaun and Liona. Andretti hit a Spanish Fly on Kaun for a nearfall. The match broke down into a Pier Six brawl, with the challengers isolating Kaun for a nearfall after an Andretti split-leg moonsault.
The challengers had a bigger challenge with Liona, but eventually worked him out of the ring. It was down to Cage, who got hit with a shotgun dropkick into a German suplex. Johnson hit a frog splash for a nearfall. They took out Nana with a triple superkick and Cage with a triple-team cutter, but Kaun cut off the pinfall. Kaun and Liona got back involved and quickly isolated Johnson, who they beat with a pendulum powerbomb.
Two title matches have been announced for this week’s Ring of Honor show on HonorClub.
Zack Sabre Jr. will look to defend his NJPW World TV Championship against Metalik on the show.
This will be just the second time the two have wrestled each other. Their first match saw Metalik defeat ZSJ in the semifinals of WWE’s Cruiserweight Classic in 2016.
The ROH Six Man Tag Team Championships will also be on the line this week. The Mogul Embassy’s Brian Cage, Tiona Liona, and Bishop Kaun will defend against Lee Johnson, Darius Martin, and Action Andretti.
Other matches scheduled for the show include The Outrunners vs. Angelico & Serpentico, Marina Shafir vs. Angelica Risk, and Josh Woods vs. John Walters. Emi Sakura, Cole Karter, The Workhorsemen, and Lee Moriarty have also been announced for the show.
This week’s episode was filmed on Saturday, August 19 from the Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky.
ROH TV on HonorClub August 31, 2023 lineup:
NJPW World TV Champion Zack Sabre Jr. defends against Metalik
ROH World Six Man Tag Team Champions The Embassy (Brian Cage, Toa Liona, & Bishop Kaun) w/Prince Nana vs. Lee Johnson, Darius Martin, & Action Andretti
Angelico & Serpentico vs. The Outrunners (Truth Magnum & Turbo Floyd)
Josh Woods vs. John Walters
Marina Shafir vs. Angelica Risk
The Workhorsemen (JD Drake & Anthony Henry)& Lee Moriarty in action
ROH World Champion Claudio Castagnoli will look to keep things rolling after Supercard of Honor as he defends against Metalik.
Castagnoli defended his title against Eddie Kingston at the pay-per-view, but things didn’t appear to be resolved between those two in addition to Wheeler Yuta and ROH Pure Champion Katsuyori Shibata.
Speaking of Shibata, he and the returning Alex Coughlin will face The WorkHorsemen. Yuta, conversely, will battle ROH veteran Tracy Williams.
ROH Women’s Champion Athena will take on Ashley D’Amboise in a non-title Proving Ground match.
Mark Briscoe will look to rebound from his loss to Samoa Joe when he faces Ari Daivari.
Dark Order’s Stu Grayson will face Tony Nese while The Kingdom’s Mike Bennett takes on Darius Martin who continues to embark on his singles career due to Dante Martin’s injury.
Willow Nightingale vs. Little Mean Kathleen and Skye Blue vs. Kelly Madan rounds out the card.
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This week’s edition of Ring of Honor TV was taped before and after last week’s Rampage taping on Friday in Rhode Island. Ian Riccaboni and Caprice Coleman were on the call.
Mark Briscoe defeated Ari Daivari (w/cJosh Woods, Mark Sterling & Tony Nese)
Briscoe controlled Daivari early on, forcing Daivari to roll to the floor after an offensive flurry. Briscoe went to follow Daivari with a dive before Nese cut him off and sent him into the barricade. Daivari took control, dropping Briscoe with a Hammerlock DDT for a nearfall. Daivari sent Briscoe to the floor, allowing Woods and Nese to lay the shots into Briscoe while the referee was distracted.
Daivari hit a high crossbody for a nearfall. Briscoe avoided another crossbody, allowing Briscoe to fire up with redneck kung fu. Briscoe went on offense, hitting the machine gun neckbreaker for a nearfall. Sterling cut off a Jay Driller attempt, allowing more interference from Woods and Nese. The referee saw that interference and promptly ejected all seconds from ringside. That allowed Briscoe to hit the Jay Driller to score the win.
After the match, everyone laid the boots to Briscoe before FTR made their way to the ring to even the odds and make the save.
– Eddie Kingston spoke for the first time since Supercard of Honor. He revealed that he had been dealing with a hernia injury since September that may require surgery but did not use it as an excuse for losing. He had a strategy and abandoned it, resorting to his fighting the same way Arturo Gatti would in his fights.
Kingston admitted that Castagnoli was the better man, having beat Kingston so badly that he couldn’t sleep that night. Kingston admitted that he wanted to quit, like Castagnoli said he would before Supercard of Honor. However, Kingston said that he had to learn from his loss and move forward.
Skye Blue defeated Kelly Madan
The announcers hyped Madan, noting that her trainer Damian Adams trained former ROH alumni Deonna Purrazzo. This was a quick bout that saw Blue win in a matter of minutes with the Skyfall.
Darius Martin defeated Mike Bennett (w/ Maria Kanellis-Bennett & Matt Taven) by disqualification
During the entrances, Riccaboni noted that Dante Martin’s recovery should be faster than originally expected. Definitely good to hear that news. Martin caught Bennett on an attempt to jumpstart the match and laid in the shots to Bennett. They traded chops in the corner before Martin sent Bennett to the floor with a dropkick. Bennett ducked a baseball slide, but Martin came off of the barricade with a crossbody. Taven distracted Martin as he went to the top rope, allowing Bennett to cut him off.
On the apron, Bennett won a forearm exchange and hit a Death Valley Driver. Martin avoided the rebound lariat and hit a quick tope before sending Bennett back into the ring. A short back-and-forth led to Martin hitting a Spanish Fly for a nearfall. Martin set up another move, but Taven came into the ring and attacked Martin to cause a disqualification. The Kingdom went after Martin’s ankle before Action Andretti ran them both off.
Wheeler Yuta defeated Tracy Williams
The announcers noted that Williams served as a mentor for Yuta as he came up on the independent scene, and that came through in the action as Williams got the better of Yuta early on. Yuta took control by booting Williams in the face to break a submission. Yuta got Williams with a German suplex before hitting the hammer-and-anvil elbows to boos from the Rhode Island crowd.
Yuta caught Williams in a deathlock and taunted him before bridging back on the hold. Williams grabbed the ropes, with the announcers noting that this wasn’t a Pure Rules match. Williams fired up with strikes, hitting a DDT onto the top turnbuckle before following with a lariat. A brainbuster scored a nearfall, which Williams immediately transitioned into a crossface. Yuta escaped and cut off a forearm exchange by biting Williams in the forehead. Yuta hit the Right Angle Slam and the hammer-and-anvil elbows before scoring the win with a seated Dragon Sleeper.
– Darius Martin and Action Andretti were in the back. Martin noted that he wasn’t going to let the Kingdom keep outnumbering him, so he recruited Andretti to help him out. They challenged the Kingdom to a future tag team match.
ROH Pure Champion Katsuyori Shibata & Alex Coughlin defeated The WorkHorsemen
It’s still surreal to see Shibata as a regular member of a pro wrestling roster after such a long injury layoff. Shibata and Anthony Henry started off grappling to a stalemate. Shibata and Henry traded unsuccessful Penalty Kick attempts, leading to Shibata locking on a figure four. JD Drake dropped a headbutt on Shibata to break the hold, leading to tags on both sides. Coughlin and Drake engaged in a chop battle, ending with the WorkHorsemen hitting a double team Russian Leg Sweep for a nearfall.
The WorkHorsemen isolated Coughlin, finding time to hit Shibata’s cross-legged pose out of mockery. Drake laid in heavy kicks to Coughlin, as Shane Taylor watched on from the back. Drake drilled Coughlin with a rebound forearm, leading to a Henry double stomp for a nearfall. Drake locked Coughlin in a deathlock, but Shibata stomped Henry to break it up. Shibata then stomped on Coughlin to fire him up. Henry went for another seated submission, but Coughlin lifted Henry from that seated position into an impressive vertical suplex.
Shibata got the tag and ran wild, hitting the hesitation dropkick to Henry for a nearfall. Drake cut off a sleeper hold on Henry with a chop, but a Shibata forearm knocked him down. The WorkHorsemen hit a tandem facebuster for a nearfall on Shibata. Coughlin took out Drake with a deadlift gutwrench suplex on the floor, and Shibata took Henry down with the Sleeper Hold and a Penalty Kick for the win. After the match, Coughlin made a challenge to Shibata for his Pure Championship.
Willow Nightingale defeated Little Mean Kathleen
Kathleen bit Nightingale on the hand, forcing Nightingale to hit a bodyslam. Kathleen fought out of a powerslam position and hit bicycle kicks, but Nightingale got her knees up on a splash. Nightingale hit a running splash in the corner before following with the Oklahoma Stampede for the quick victory.
Stu Grayson (w/ Evil Uno) defeated Tony Nese (w/Mark Sterling)
Grayson was in control early on, finishing an opening flurry with an over-the-ropes senton to Nese on the apron. Grayson hit a tope over the top rope to Nese on the floor. Grayson went for a springboard to Nese, but Nese shoved him off the top rope into the barricades on the floor.
Nese took control in the ring, but Grayson pushed him to the mat on a superplex attempt. Grayson went for a sunset flip, but Nese rolled through and hit a spinning heel kick for a nearfall. Nese hit a spin kick to the breadbasket, but Grayson fired up and dropped Nese with a uranage. Grayson hit a corkscrew senton to Nese for a nearfall. Nese used the ropes to escape a Grayson fireman’s carry, but Grayson hit an F-5 style move for another nearfall.
Grayson pulled Nese over the ropes with a suplex, but Nese escaped and hung Grayson’s neck on the ropes. Grayson avoided the Running Nese, but Nese got a roll-up with the tights for a nearfall. Grayson hit a pele kick and followed it with a running knee. Grayson dropped Nese from a fireman’s carry to a backbreaker to score the win.
After the match, The Righteous (Dutch & Vincent) came to the stage and stared down the Dark Order, although the announcers made it clear that their focus was solely on Grayson.
– The Righteous were backstage. They insinuate that the Dark Order left Stu Grayson behind during his hiatus from AEW, and that they want to help him out.
ROH Women’s Champion Athena defeated Ashley D’Amboise in a Proving Ground match
If D’Amboise wins or survives the time limit, she will earn a future title match.
D’Amboise got the better of Athena on an early exchange, but Athena immediately cut her off with a high kick and a flurry of strikes. Athena dropped D’Amboise with a superkick for a nearfall. Athena fish hooked D’Amboise on a submission, but D’Amboise rolled her up for a quick one count. D’Amboise avoided a corner charge and took Athena down with a leg lariat. D’Amboise fired up and hit a Samoan Drop for a nearfall.
D’Amboise went for something off the top rope, but Athena threw her from the top to the apron before dropkicking her to the floor. Athena threw D’Amboise around the ring before hitting the running knees against the steps. Athena went to the top rope and hit the O-Face for the win.
– Lexy Nair was backstage with D’Amboise who was hoping for more honor in ROH before getting attacked by Athena. She welcomed D’Amboise to ROH by throwing her headfirst into the title belt.
ROH World Champion Claudio Castagnoli defeated Metalik to retain
This was a fine main event, but it’s far from a must-see affair. This is Castagnoli’s sixth defense of the title.
Metalik played a lot of defense early on, using his lucha proficiency to escape Castagnoli’s attempts at offense. Metalik was able to send Castagnoli to the floor, but Castagnoli caught Metalik on a cannonball attempt and hit an Alley-Oop onto the apron. Back in the ring, Castagnoli dropped an elbow for a nearfall. Castagnoli hit a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker for another nearfall. A running European uppercut scored Castagnoli another nearfall.
Metalik fought out of a top wristlock and caught Castagnoli with a small package for a nearfall, but Castagnoli cut him off with a big boot. Metalik cut off a corner charge before landing an enzuigiri and a springboard hurricanrana. Castagnoli got hold of Metalik’s hands, but Metalik popped up with a sling blade for a nearfall. Castagnoli rolled to the floor, but Metalik followed him outside with a step-up dive to the floor. Metalik hit a springboard splash back inside the ring for a nearfall.
Castagnoli hit a headbutt but missed another corner charge. Metalik went for a ropewalk rana, but Castagnoli caught him. Metalik rolled up and over with a sunset flip for a nearfall. Metalik went for a moonsault, but Castagnoli kicked him in the face and hit a big lariat for a nearfall. Castagnoli put Metalik on the top rope and went for a superplex, but Metalik fought out. Castagnoli was stood on the ropes, and Metalik hit the old Elix Skipper ropewalk rana for a nearfall.
Metalik went for a ropewalk elbow drop, but Castagnoli got his knees up and transitioned into a crossface. Metalik rolled it into a crucifix pin, but Castagnoli kicked out and hit a big European Uppercut for a nearfall. Castagnoli followed it with the hammer-and-anvil elbows and the Neutralizer to win and retain the World title.
