After 20 straight opportunities at winning a title for four different promotions, AR Fox can now call himself a champion after winning the Ring of Honor men’s TV title on Thursday’s ROH TV.
In a match taped Saturday, Fox defeated Nick Wayne for his first title run since holding the CZW Wired championship in 2020. It’s also his first title in either AEW or ROH.
Going into the match, Fox was 0 for his last 20, starting with February 2020’s loss in an AAW Tag Team title challenge. Since then, Fox has challenged for the AEW TNT title, AEW Trios titles, AEW International title, AEW National title, NJPW TV title, ROH World title, ROH Six-Man titles, and ROH Pure title without a single win.
This was Fox’s fourth shot at the TV title dating back to November 2024. He already has his first title defense set up as he will face Lio Rush at Friday’s ROH Supercard of Honor.
The win ends Wayne’s 387-day run with the title which saw seven successful defenses and seven months of inactivity due to a broken foot. He returned from injury this past March and will now head to Japan for the annual NJPW Best of the Super Juniors tournament.
Brian Cage will defend the Ring of Honor men’s TV title at next Friday’s Final Battle in a six-way Survival of the Fittest match.
Cage will face AR Fox, Willie Mack, Mark Davis, Blake Christian and Komander in the elimination-style bout taking place at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City.
Cage has two title defenses since winning the gold at October’s WrestleDream, coming against Fox and Komander.
Here’s the current card for the HonorClub streaming special:
ROH World Champion Chris Jericho defends against Matt Cardona
ROH Women’s World Champion Athena defends against Billie Starkz
ROH Tag Team Champions Sons of Texas (Dustin Rhodes & Sammy Guevara) defend against The Righteous (Vincent & Dutch)
ROH women’s TV Champion Red Velvet defends against Leyla Hirsch
ROH men’s TV Champion Brian Cage defends against AR Fox, Willie Mack, Mark Davis, Blake Christian and Komander in a Survival of the Fittest match
To kickstart Forbidden Door weekend, a Ring of Honor title changed hands at a CMLL event on Friday night.
Atlantis Jr. defeated Kyle Fletcher at Arena Mexico to win the ROH Television title. Fletcher had been champion since December 2023 and made seven successful defenses during his reign.
It looks like we’ll be seeing a rematch between Atlantis Jr. and Fletcher in the near future. After their match, Fletcher challenged Atlantis Jr. to face him again on Fletcher’s home turf.
Death Before Dishonor 2024 on Friday, July 26 is ROH’s next pay-per-view. ROH has not announced if that’s where the Atlantis Jr. vs. Fletcher rematch will be taking place.
“Despite CMLL stars appearing on ROH events officially as representatives of the company as early as 2015, this is the first time a CMLL star has won ROH gold while under contract with CMLL while the opposite has occurred once (Matt Taven) to my recollection,” ROH commentator Ian Riccaboni tweeted.
AEW and CMLL began working together in late 2023 and now have a close partnership. For the first time ever, CMLL will be part of AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door this Sunday (June 30). The PPV is being held in Long Island, New York.
Also at Friday night’s CMLL show, Chris Jericho made a surprise appearance and attacked Mistico, setting up a match between the two that will take place at Arena Mexico.
Thursday’s Ring of Honor on HonorClub will be headlined by the finals of the TV title eliminator tournament with the victor moving on to challenge current champion Samoa Joe in the future.
The finals of the four-man tournament will see Shane Taylor take on Gravity. Taylor was unsuccessful in advancing to the last such tournament he was in while Gravity was unsuccessful in defeating Joe in their first meeting recently on Dynamite.
ROH Women’s Champion Athena will be in non-title singles action.
Former ROH World Champion Dalton Castle will face Slim J while Cole Karter battles ROH regular Rhett Titus.
Wrestling trainer and AEW producer Pat Buck will return to the ring as he goes one-on-one with Tony Nese.
Robyn Renegade will look to continue her winning ways against popular indie wrestler and Khan company regular Billie Starkz.
Both Leyla Hirsch and Lee Moriarty will be in action against opponents to be named.
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Taped in Greenville, South Carolina.
Ian Riccaboni and Caprice Coleman were on commentary.
Dalton Castle (w/ The Baby Chicks) defeated Slim J (4:44)
Castle’s entrance is just aces. Apparently the baby chicks are bulked up versions of the Boys that need to be fed. Castle is in the TV title hunt, but wasn’t in the TV eliminator tournament that will be decided in tonight’s main event.
The match was mostly basic until Slim J hit a springboard dropkick from the middle rope. Slim J almost launched himself into the Bangarang, but got to the ropes to escape. Castle caught Slim J with a running knee on the apron that sent him to the floor. Back in the ring, Castle got a couple of high double leg takedowns and the Bangarang to get the pinfall.
– In the back, Tony Nese and “Smart” Mark Sterling declined the opportunity to wrestle Pat Buck later, but will instead hold an “Obesity Intervention.”
The Iron Savages ( w/ Jacked Jameson) defeated Lucky Ali & Brady Pierce (3:17)
The Iron Savages are formerly known as Bear Bronson and Bear Boulder, aka Bear Country, one of my favorite teams from the Jacksonville Dark days.
Bronson escaped a hangman’s neckbreaker and hit a spinning powerslam on Ali. He then got the “savage sauce” from Jameson (something in one of these shake mixer bottles…if it wasn’t obvious by the name, “Jacked Jameson” has a weight lifter/exercise nut gimmick) and went crazy. The Savages dominated the match with sheer power. Boulder dropped Bronson from his shoulders onto Ali to get the pinfall. Fun squash.
The Infantry (Shawn Dean & Carlie Bravo) (w/ Trust Adora) defeated Zicky Dice & Movie Myk (3:25)
Shawn Dean caught Myk with some sweet-looking deep arm drags early on. Dean caught Mye with a spinning DDT, and then a big boot into a Russian legsweek finished off Myk.
– Lexi Nair interviewed Leyla Hirsch, who wants a shot at the Ring of Honor Championship. Maria Kanellis interrupted; Kanellis said Hirsch could use more confidence and will be watching her match tonight.
Lee Moriarty defeated Andrew Everett (5:00)
Everett has competed in ROH before, but this is his Honor Club debut. Everett looked pretty good in the opening minutes. Moriarty caught Everett with an arm ringer and stomped him down to take control. Moriarty tied Everett up in the ropes and worked over his injured leg. Moriarty worked over Everett’s arm and got a near fall with a front chancery suplex into a bridge. Everett came back and hit a falcon arrow for a near fall. Everett went for a shooting star press off the top, but Moriarty got out of the way. He hit a clothesline, then gave Everett an airplane spin into the Border City Stretch. Moriarty got the submission.
Tony Nese (w/ Smart Mark Sterling) defeated Pat Buck
There are rough 1,600 guys on the rosters between ROH and AEW, so I’m not sure why Pat Buck is getting a match. Rese canceled the rest of Ring of Honor in favor of group fitness training. Nese led the crowd through exercises, until Pat Buck came out for their match.
Rese insulted the Waffle House in his pre-match ranting, so that inspired various waffle-related chants from the crowd. This match did nothing for me. Nese hit a springboard moonsault for a near fall. Buck came back and hit a sky high for a near fall. Buck set up a powerbomb, but Nese transitioned into a cradle for a near fall. Nese hit a running knee in the corner and got the pinfall. This felt like forever.
– The Workhorsemen are confronted by Prince Nana and the Gates of Agony. If the Workhorsemen win, they get a six man title shot with a partner of their choosing.
ROH Women’s World Champion Athena defeated Rachel Ellering in a Proving Ground Match (7:05)
Had Ellering won, she would have received an ROH Women’s title match.
Ellering got a slam and a senton for a near fall. Athena missed a standing moonsault, but cut off Ellering with a running forearm. Athena sent Ellering to the floor and followed her out with a dropkick through the ropes. On the floor, Athena tossed Ellering into the commentary table and the guardrails. Back in the ring, Athena locked in a cravat to wear Ellering down.
Ellering broke free of the cravat and mounted a comeback. She hit a boot, a spinning elbow and a slingblade. Ellering hit a black hole slam for a near fall. Ellering went up to the middle rope, but Athena yanked her down. Athena hit the O-face and got the pinfall.
The Gates of Agony (w/ Prince Nana) defeated Anthony Henry & JD Drake (10:52)
Henry came off the top with a dropkick on Loa, who no sold it and floored Henry with a clothesline. Eventually, both Henry and Drake were laid out on the floor. Henry avoided a countout loss, but got worked over by the Gates of Agony in their corner. Khan hit a uranage into a backbreaker for a near fall. Tonga Loa got a near fall after a running senton. Drake finally got a hot tag and rallied for his team.
Drake hit Kaun with a black hole slam for a near fall. Drake took out both the Gates of Agony with a plancha. Henry came off the top with a splash on Kaun for a near fall. Drake held Kaun open for for a doublestomp from Henry. Henry went for a pin, but Kaun very awkwardly crawled acorss the ring with Henry on top of him to get his foot on the rope. Drake missed a moonsault off the middle ropes, and Loa and Kaun planted him face first to the mat and got the pinfall. Whoever thought this needed 11 minutes is insane.
Leyla Hirsch defeated Angelica Risk (2:26)
Kanellis watched this match from the entrance stage. Hirsch dominated this match and made Risk tap out to the armbar.
– Athena confirmed with Lexi Nair that she is the face of ROH, and Athena took Lexi with her to look for more women to beat up.
Cole Karter defeated Rhett Titus (3:59)
Titus missed a dropkick, and Karter hit one of his own. Maria Kanellis came out to entrance ramp to scout Karter as well. Karter tried a chinlock, but Titus escaped and hit a double underhook suplex. Titus worked over Karter’s back and hit a lariat. Karter has looked decidedly unimpressive since Kanellis came out. Titus hit a dropkick for a near fall. Karter came back with a flying knee, then finished off Titus with an overhead backbreaker into a DDT.
Starkz is a teenage prodigy. Starkz went up to the top, but Charlette pushed her off the top rope while Robyn distracted the referee. Robyn hit a shotgun dropkick and a running boot in the corner. Renegade choked Starkz in the ropes and sent her headfirst down to the mat . Starkz came back with an enziguri and a hook kick. Starkz hit a Gory bomb for a near fall. Renegade drove Starkz into the mat headfirst for a near fall. Starkz dumped Robyn to the floor and hit both Renegade twins with a plancha. Back in the ring, Starkz hit a swanton bomb for the pinfall.
After the match, Charlette ran in and double-teamed Starkz with her sister. Athena came out and took out Robyn with a boot, then laid out Charlette with a forearm. Athena then set up Starkz to drive her headfirst into the World Women’s title belt, but thought better of it and left Starkz alone.
– Lexi Nair mediated a disagreement with Josh Woods and Mark Sterling. Woods thought he’d be more successful in singles action, and Sterling agreed to get him a match with Silas Young.
Shane Taylor defeated Gravity in the finals of the ROH TV Title Eliminator Tournament (5:28)
Gravity tried to fly around Taylor, but it didn’t work. Taylor caught him with a slam and a lariat for a near fall. Taylor worked over Gravity with a chinlock. Gravity escaped, but Taylor came back with a slam. Another slam, and Taylor mocked Gravity, then missed a legdrop. Gravity hit a rana out of the corner but Taylor cut him off with a knee.
Taylor went for a suplex, but Gravity countered with a small package for a near fall. Gravity charged in the corner and Taylor caught him with an uranage. Taylor set up a splash from the middle rope, but Gravity bounced up and cut him off. Gravity picked up Taylor and gave him a Samoan drop from the middle rope! Gravity came off the top with a splash, but Taylor got his legs up. Taylor then hit a package piledriver and got the pinfall.
Taylor shouted “Bring me Joe!” as the show went off the air.
Final Thoughts:
It was nice to see acts like Dalton Castle, The Iron Savages and Leyla Hirsch get some TV time, but no one needs a Pat Buck/Tony Nese match. Some of this felt like stuffing the show to get to two hours and really one hour would be just fine.
ROH is holding a tournament to determine the next challenger for Samoa Joe’s TV title.
The four-person tournament began on Thursday’s episode of ROH television. Dalton Castle and Shane Taylor booked their spots in the finals with respective wins over Tony Nese and Shawn Dean. Castle vs. Taylor in the tournament finals will take place on ROH TV next week.
The winner of Castle vs. Taylor advances to challenge Joe for the ROH TV title at Death Before Dishonor.
Death Before Dishonor is being held at CURE Insurance Arena in Trenton, New Jersey on Friday, July 21. It’s ROH’s first pay-per-view since March’s Supercard of Honor.
Joe has held the ROH TV Championship since April 2022. His most recent defense of the title was against Matt Sydal on ROH TV last month.
On the most recent episode of AEW Collision, Joe lost to CM Punk in the semifinals of the men’s Owen Hart Foundation Tournament.
Castle and Taylor are both former TV champions in ROH. Their reigns happened while ROH was owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group.
Next Thursday’s ROH TV is airing the night before Death Before Dishonor. Also on the episode, ROH will address who is going to be Claudio Castagnoli’s Death Before Dishonor challenger. Castagnoli was supposed to face Mark Briscoe at the PPV, but Briscoe had to be pulled from the match due to injury.
The following contains spoilers for this week’s Ring of Honor TV episode.
On the new Ring of Honor TV episode that began airing on Sinclair affiliates and several regional sports affiliates this weekend, Dalton Castle defeated Dragon Lee for the TV title.
As has been the case in recent months, no fans were in attendance at the set of tapings where the title match took place.
This is the first TV title reign for Castle and his third ROH title overall as he previously held the World title and the Six-Man titles with The Boys.
Lee held the title for more than 100 days after defeating Tony Deppen in July at Best in the World. He only defended it once, defeating Eli Isom as part of a TV taping that aired in the late-summer. Lee and Kenny King lost the Tag Team titles to Matt Taven and Mike Bennett at this month’s Honor for All special, leaving him beltless for the first time in ROH this year.
The company has one final event left this year with next month’s Final Battle pay-per-view. After that, ROH will go dark for three months as they evaluate how to navigate their future.
We will have a full report of the match and TV show on Monday following its debut on Honor Club.
Tony Deppen is the new Ring of Honor Television Champion.
Deppen defeated Tracy Williams to capture the title for the first time on Ring of Honor television, which aired this weekend in syndication. Williams had been champion since March 26, when he defeated Kenny King (subbing for Dragon Lee) to win the title.
Deppen confirmed the title win on Twitter, noting that despite winning the TV title, he currently isn’t signed to Ring of Honor.
“For everyone that told me I’d never get anywhere: f*** off,” he wrote. “To all the people that Always put their neck out for me to help me get in front of new eyes: im gonna continue to bust my ass because y’all Always believed in me. Oh. Still not signed. This belt is mine now.”
At Ring of Honor’s 19th Anniversary show back in March, Deppen joined forces with Brodie King, Homicide, and Chris Dickinson. Together, they are known as Violence Unlimited.
The ROH Television Championship changed hands at Thursday night’s War of the Worlds show in Toronto.
Shane Taylor defeated Jeff Cobb, Brody King, and Hirooki Goto in a four corner survival match to win the TV title. The story of the finish was that Cobb lost the championship without being pinned. Cobb hit the Tour of the Islands on King, but Taylor gave Cobb a knee strike and then hit Greetings from 216 on King to win the title.
Taylor grabbed the championship from Cobb after the match and told him to get to the back of the line.
Prior to losing the title, Cobb had retained against Taylor at ROH’s 17th Anniversary pay-per-view this March.
The War of the Worlds tour will continue in Grand Rapids, Michigan on Saturday with a show airing live on HonorClub. The tour will then conclude with a set of TV tapings in Villa Park, Illinois on Sunday.
Image: Will Ospreay. Additional notes added by Dave Meltzer.
Ring of Honor’s three-show tour of the United Kingdom kicked off with a bang on Friday night in Liverpool with the ROH Wold Television Championship changing hands.
In his ROH debut, Will Ospreay captured the title in his home country by defeating Bobby Fish.
ROH announced last week that Ospreay and fellow English standout Marty Scurll had signed exclusive contracts with the company. Ospreay is scheduled to team with Scurll against The Young Bucks on tomorrow’s show in Leicester before the two face off in an ROH ring for the first time as Ospreay defends the TV title against Scurll in London on Sunday.
Before the title switch, Fish was set to defend his title against CMLL star Dragon Lee on December 2nd at Final Battle in New York after Lee had defeated him in a proving ground match. Dave Meltzer reports that the Final Battle TV title match will now be a multiple person match involving Sunday’s winner, Fish, and Lee at least.
After signing with the promotion, Ospreay will be working as a regular with ROH between his New Japan tours going forward.
ROH uploaded video of Ospreay being announced as the new champion:
