Tag: Roh Supercard Of Honor 2023

VIDEO: Dave Meltzer & Bryan Alvarez discuss Mark Briscoe’s loss at ROH Supercard of Honor

Posted on by Bryan Rose

Bryan Alvarez and Dave Meltzer discussed one of the bigger surprises of the weekend so far on Wrestling Observer Radio.

Mark Briscoe failed to defeat Samoa Joe, with Joe putting Briscoe in the coquina clutch. Briscoe passed out of the hold, allowing Joe to retain the ROH Television Championship.

“If you’ve ever seen a Tony Khan show, and we’ve seen a lot of them, this was unusual,” Alvarez said on Friday’s show.

Alvarez also noted that after the match, the announcers pushed that this may not be the end to the story of Briscoe looking to capture the ROH Television title.

“They’re trying to tell a longer story,” Meltzer said.

“The announcers were telling the story that he wanted this title,” Alvarez said, referring to the Television title. “This is the belt that he wants and he didn’t get it here…he’s winning this title, and instead of just making it a thing that everyone expects, there’s going to be these roadblocks he has to get to so when he wins it, it’s going to be even bigger.” 

Katsuyori Shibata wins ROH Pure title at Supercard of Honor

Posted on by Ethan Renner

Katsuyori Shibata is the new Ring of Honor Pure Champion. 

Shibata defeated Wheeler Yuta at Supercard of Honor to win the title after a penalty kick, cementing one of the greatest comeback stories in the history of the industry. 

Following an NJPW career that included three NEVER title reigns and an IWGP Tag Team title reign, Shibata won the 2017 New Japan Cup and challenged Kazuchika Okada for the IWGP Heavyweight title at Sakura Genesis in April 2017. In that match, Shibata suffered a subdural hematoma, a brain bleed that required hospitalization and an emergency surgery. 

Shibata was later named the head coach at NJPW’s LA Dojo in California, a position that he still holds, but embarked on an in-ring comeback beginning with a five-minute exhibition match against Zack Sabre Jr. at the G1 finals in October 2021. 

The Pure title match against Yuta was just the fifth match of Shibata’s comeback, after wrestling three times in 2022. 

Yuta’s Pure title reign ends at 111 days and four successful defenses. 

Following the Supercard main event match between Claudio Castagnoli and Eddie Kingston for the ROH World title, Shibata made the save for Kingston as Castagnoli and Yuta menaced him in the ring. Kingston then cut a promo praising Shibata, and the two left the ring together at the close of the pay-per-view.

Nigel McGuinness returns as ROH commentator at Supercard of Honor

Posted on by Ethan Renner

Former ROH World Champion and Pure Champion Nigel McGuinness has returned to the company as a color commentator. 

McGuinness returned to the company for the first time in six-plus years at Friday’s Supercard of Honor event as a color commentator, making his re-debut on the Zero Hour pre-show in Los Angeles. McGuinness joined Ian Riccaboni and Caprice Coleman at the commentary desk for the broadcast. 

ROH owner Tony Khan welcomed McGuinness back to the company with a tweet:

In his first run with ROH from 2003 to 2009, McGuinness captured both the World and Pure titles and established himself as one of the preeminent in-ring talents of his generation. He left the company after agreeing in principle to a WWE deal, but WWE later pulled the offer after McGuinness failed the company’s physical due to an old biceps injury. 

McGuinness then moved to TNA, where he wrestled in 2009 and 2010 as Desmond Wolfe. McGuinness later revealed that he tested positive for Hepatitis B, and was pulled from TNA’s 2010 No Surrender pay-per-view. After a brief run as an on-screen authority figure and commentator on TNA Explosion, he was released from his TNA contract in 2011. 

The end of 2011 also saw the end of McGuinness’s in-ring career, as he embarked on a retirement tour on the indies in November and December of that year. 

McGuinness returned to Ring of Honor as a commentator and on-screen matchmaker in late 2011 and stayed with the promotion until 2016. 

WWE announced McGuinness had signed with the company in December 2016, and he debuted for the company as a color commentator in January 2017 at WWE’s United Kingdom Championship Tournament. The next month, he joined the NXT brand as a commentator.

He would remain with the company until being furloughed during the COVID-19 pandemic in April 2020. He was brought back later in the year as a commentator on NXT UK and 205 Live, before ultimately being released in October 2022.

Four matches set for ROH Supercard of Honor Zero Hour

Posted on by Ian Carey

Four matches have been announced for ROH Supercard of Honor Zero Hour. 

Tony Khan revealed on Friday that the United Empire’s Jeff Cobb will return to ROH to wrestle “Hot Sauce” Tracy Williams on the show. This will be Cobb’s first match in the promotion since his win over Mascara Dorada on the ROH Final Battle pre-show last December.  

Willow Nightingale vs. Miranda Alize has also been announced for tonight. Both wrestlers were part of the ROH Women’s division in 2021 but this will be their first singles match against one another. Alize lost to Billie Starkz at the TV tapings last month. 

Stu Grayson vs. Slim J has also been announced for tonight’s pre-show. This will be Grayson’s first ROH match since 2018’s Global Wars event in Toronto. His Super Smash Bros team with Evil Uno was defeated by SCU that night. 

Konosuke Takeshita will return to ROH tonight as well when he takes on Willie Mack. Takeshita defeated Josh Woods at the ROH TV tapings last month. Willie Mack lost a proving grounds match to Claudio Castagnoli at the same tapings. 

ROH Supercard of Honor Zero Hour will air beginning at 6 p.m. Eastern time tonight on YouTube. The main pay-per-view card is set to begin at 7 p.m. Eastern time and is available to purchase on Bleacher Report in the United States and FITE TV internationally. The event will emanate from the Galen Center in Los Angeles, CA. 

The updated Supercard of Honor lineup:

  • ROH World Champion Claudio Castagnoli defends against Eddie Kingston
  • ROH Women’s World Champion Athena defends against Yuka Sakazaki
  • ROH World Television Champion Samoa Joe defends against Mark Briscoe
  • ROH Pure Champion Wheeler Yuta defends against Katsuyori Shibata
  • AAA Mega Champion El Hijo Del Vikingo defends against Komander
  • ROH World Six-Man Tag Team Champions The Embassy (Brian Cage, Kaun & Toa Liona) defend against AR Fox, Blake Christian & Metalik
  • Reach for the Sky ladder match for the vacant ROH World Tag Team Championship: The Kingdom (Matt Taven & Mike Bennett) vs. The Lucha Bros (Penta El Zero Miedo & Rey Fenix) vs. Top Flight (Darius Martin & Dante Martin) vs. Aussie Open (Kyle Fletcher & Mark Davis) vs. La Faccion Ingobernable (Rush & Dralistico)
  • Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Daniel Garcia
  • Stu Grayson vs. Slim J (Zero Hour)
  • Willow Nightingale vs. Miranda Alize (Zero Hour)
  • Jeff Cobb vs. Tracy Williams (Zero Hour)
  • Konosuke Takeshita vs. Willie Mack (Zero Hour)

April 3, 2023 Observer Newsletter: WWE WrestleMania 39 week preview

Posted on by Dave Meltzer

What will be by far the biggest money weekend in the history of WWE and pro wrestling in general is upon is with two days of WrestleMania, an NXT Stand & Deliver special, sellouts for Smackdown & The Hall of Fame as well as Raw at the Crypto.com in Los Angeles, and countless shows from promotions all over the world.

A number of WrestleMania records are guaranteed to be set including most tickets sold (adding up the two nights), most viewers watching (due to it being on Peacock which has grown greatly in subscribers over the past year), most merchandise sold (because from the merchandise standpoint the company is at its hottest period) and by far the most sponsorship revenue.

The two WrestleMania shows at SoFi Stadium will have two-hour pre-shows starting at 6 p.m. Eastern with an 8 p.m. main show. The first night will have seven matches and the second night will have six, unless something is added, due to the Bobby Lashley vs. Bray Wyatt match being canceled. There will no doubt be plenty of surprises. The show is also there to showcase the product and the fan enthusiasm for any prospective buyers.

Subscribers can click here to read this week’s issue.

Athena vs. Yuka Sakazaki title match official for ROH Supercard of Honor

Posted on by Ethan Renner

Athena vs. Yuka Sakazaki for the ROH Women’s World Championship has officially been added to Friday’s Supercard of Honor pay-per-view. 

Following Athena’s successful title defense against Emi Sakura on Thursday’s Ring of Honor TV episode, Athena continued to beat down Sakura. Sakazaki made the save, and the match was made official. 

Athena had previously issued a challenge to Sakazaki on the March 16 Ring of Honor TV episode. 

Supercard of Honor will air on Bleacher Report Live pay-per-view in the United States, and on FITE TV pay-per-view internationally at 7 p.m. Eastern time on Friday, March 31.

A Zero Hour pre-show will air on ROH’s YouTube channel beginning at 6 p.m. Eastern time. No matches have been announced for Zero Hour to this point. 

The updated Supercard of Honor lineup: 

  • ROH World Champion Claudio Castagnoli defends against Eddie Kingston
  • ROH Women’s World Champion Athena defends against Yuka Sakazaki
  • ROH World Television Champion Samoa Joe defends against Mark Briscoe
  • ROH Pure Champion Wheeler Yuta defends against Katsuyori Shibata
  • AAA Mega Champion El Hijo Del Vikingo defends against Komander
  • ROH World Six-Man Tag Team Champions The Embassy (Brian Cage, Kaun & Toa Liona) defend against AR Fox, Blake Christian & Metalik
  • Reach for the Sky ladder match for the vacant ROH World Tag Team Championship: The Kingdom (Matt Taven & Mike Bennett) vs. The Lucha Bros (Penta El Zero Miedo & Rey Fenix) vs. Top Flight (Darius Martin & Dante Martin) vs. Aussie Open (Kyle Fletcher & Mark Davis) vs. La Faccion Ingobernable (Rush & Dralistico)
  • Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Daniel Garcia

Katsuyori Shibata challenging for ROH Pure title at Supercard of Honor

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Katsuyori Shibata is officially heading to ROH Supercard of Honor.

Tony Khan has confirmed that Shibata will challenge Wheeler Yuta for the ROH Pure Championship at Supercard of Honor this Friday night (March 31). The pay-per-view is taking place at the Galen Center in Los Angeles.

Yuta challenged Shibata to the match on the ROH television episode that aired on March 16.

This will be the fifth time Shibata has wrestled since 2017. He returned to the ring in 2021 after suffering a life-threatening subdural hematoma during a match against Kazuchika Okada at NJPW Sakura Genesis 2017.

In November of last year, Shibata unsuccessfully challenged Orange Cassidy for the AEW All-Atlantic Championship on Rampage.

Yuta is a two-time ROH Pure Champion. His current reign with the title began when he defeated Daniel Garcia at Final Battle 2022.

Here’s the updated lineup for Supercard of Honor:

  • ROH World Champion Claudio Castagnoli defends against Eddie Kingston
  • AAA Mega Champion El Hijo del Vikingo defends against Komander
  • Reach for the Sky ladder match for the ROH Tag Team titles: Lucha Bros vs. Top Flight vs. The Kingdom vs. Aussie Open vs. Rush & Dralistico
  • ROH Television Champion Samoa Joe defends against Mark Briscoe
  • ROH Pure Champion Wheeler Yuta defends against Katsuyori Shibata

Castagnoli vs. Kingston ROH World title match official for Supercard of Honor

Posted on by Ethan Renner

Claudio Castagnoli vs. Eddie Kingston for the ROH World Championship is official for Supercard of Honor. 

On Thursday’s Ring of Honor TV episode, Castagnoli accepted the previously-issued challenge from Kingston, adding that Kingston is “the biggest waste of potential he’s ever seen.” 

Kingston “quit” AEW in an angle shot for social media channels on March 1, then appeared on the first Ring of Honor TV episode the next day to issue a challenge to Castagnoli. 

In addition to the World title bout being made official, the lineup for the Reach for the Sky ladder match for the vacant ROH World Tag Team titles was also finalized during Thursday’s Ring of Honor TV show. 

The Lucha Bros (Penta El Zero Miedo & Rey Fenix), The Kingdom (Matt Taven & Mike Bennett), Aussie Open (Kyle Fletcher & Mark Davis), Top Flight (Darius Martin & Dante Martin), and Rush & Dralistico will be the five teams squaring off the the vacant Tag titles on next Friday’s PPV. 

Two additional title matches are expected to be announced for the PPV — Athena vs. Yuka Sakazaki for the ROH Women’s World title, plus Wheeler Yuta vs. Katsuyori Shibata for the ROH Pure title — but are not official as of yet.

The updated lineup for the show: 

ROH Supercard of Honor, Friday, March 31, 7 p.m. Eastern time on pay-per-view —

  • ROH World Championship: Claudio Castagnoli defends against Eddie Kingston
  • AAA Mega Championship: El Hijo del Vikingo defends against Komander
  • Reach for the Sky ladder match for the ROH World Tag Team Championship: Lucha Bros vs. Top Flight vs. The Kingdom vs. Aussie Open vs. Rush & Dralistico
  • ROH World Television Championship: Samoa Joe defends against Mark Briscoe

El Hijo del Vikingo vs. Komander title match set for ROH Supercard of Honor

Posted on by Ethan Renner

A day after his AEW debut, El Hijo del Vikingo has been announced for Ring of Honor Supercard of Honor pay-per-view on March 31. 

In a match announced by ROH owner Tony Khan on Thursday, El Hijo del Vikingo will defend the AAA Mega Championship against Komander at Supercard of Honor. The bout will pit the consensus two best high-flyers in the world against one another. 

Vikingo made his AEW debut on this week’s Dynamite, losing to Kenny Omega in a dream match in the show’s main event. 

Komander made his AEW debut in the Face of the Revolution ladder match on Dynamite earlier this month. 

Four matches are official for Supercard, with another two — Wheeler Yuta vs. Katsuyori Shibata for the ROH Pure title, plus Athena vs. Yuka Sakazaki for the ROH Women’s World title — heavily hinted at, but not yet official. 

Here is the announced lineup for next week’s pay-per-view: 

ROH Supercard of Honor, Friday, March 31, 7 p.m. Eastern time on pay-per-view —

  • ROH World Championship: Claudio Castagnoli defends against Eddie Kingston
  • AAA Mega Championship: El Hijo del Vikingo defends against Komander
  • Reach for the Sky ladder match for the ROH World Tag Team Championship: Lucha Bros vs. Top Flight vs. The Kingdom vs. Aussie Open vs. Rush & Dralistico
  • ROH World Television Championship: Samoa Joe defends against Mark Briscoe

Athena challenges Yuka Sakazaki to ROH Supercard of Honor title bout

Posted on by Ethan Renner

Athena has issued a challenge to Yuka Sakazaki for an ROH Women’s World title match at Supercard of Honor. 

In a backstage promo on this week’s ROH TV episode, the Women’s World Champion challenged Sakazaki to face her for the title at the Supercard of Honor pay-per-view set for Friday, March 31. 

In the promo, Athena bullied interviewer Lexy Nair, and stated that Sakazaki was afraid of her after Athena rammed her leg into the ring steps. Athena said that Sakazaki has continued wrestling in Japan, but was afraid to come back to America to face her. 

The match is likely to be formally announced on next week’s ROH TV show. 

Just two matches are currently official for Supercard. Here is the announced lineup to this point: 

ROH Supercard of Honor, Friday, March 31, 7 p.m. Eastern time on pay-per-view —

  • ROH World Television Championship: Samoa Joe defends against Mark Briscoe
  • Reach for the Sky ladder match for the ROH Tag Team Championship: Lucha Bros vs. TBA