The next Ring of Honor Tag Team title shot will be on the line as part of tonight’s ROH on HonorClub.
Top Flight (The Martin brothers) will take on The Infantry (Carlie Bravo & Shawn Dean) with the winners moving to face The Sons of Texas (Dustin Rhodes & Sammy Guevara), presumably at next week’s Supercard of Honor.
In a singles clash, former ROH Pure Champion Wheeler Yuta takes on Alex Zayne.
In a Pure rules match, Serena Deeb returns to take on B3CCA. It’s Deeb’s first Khan company appearance since March, and her first ROH bout since July 2022.
The Spanish Announce Project of Angelico & Serpentico take on Eddie Pearl & Ricky Gibson to round out the card.
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It’s a brand new episode of Ring of Honor on Honorclub and with Supercard of Honor just over a week away, it’s going to be a big one!
Wheeler Yuta vs Alex Zayne
Believe it or not, Alex Zayne was actually on the card at Supercard of Honor 2024, teaming with, of all people, Lance Archer as the horribly named “Monstersauce.” Shagginess-enthusiast Yuta has been riding with death in AEW and one would think he’d be a sure contender for any title in ROH, presuming this match goes well.
Yuta took the fight right to Zayne off the top, wrenching him to the mat by the waist. Zayne fought back with a flipping senton and a double knee off the ropes. Yuta had to bail out of the ring to collect himself and Zayne tried to follow. Yuta saw it through his bangs though and tripped him up.
Yuta delivered an elbow off the top turnbuckle and the match deteriorated into a slugfest. Yuta began mugging for the camera before delivering a suplex to Zayne. Yuta started delivering hammer elbows to Zayne and when the Ref called him off he exclaimed “I. Have. Until. Five” at him. Zayne used this as a moment to take control and try a face buster, but Yuta reversed it.
Yuta bridged Zayne in a cattle mutilation, but Zayne wouldn’t quit. Yuta dragged him to the top turnbuckle and wrenched Zayne’s shoulder. Zany shook it off though and hit a boomerang hurricanrana into a facebuster. Yuta kicked out at two though.
Yuta caught Zayne with high running knee out of the corner and that was it for Zayne. 1-2-3, Yuta wins!
Match Result: Wheeler Yuta defeats Alex Zayne
Fun little match, I’d forgotten about Alex Zayne’s high-flying ability and it made for a great foil for Yuta. Now get a haircut, young man.
-Backstage, the Infantry cut a promo wishing everyone a happy 4th of July (or Will Smith Day as they put it.) …aaaand that was it.
Spanish Announce Project (Angelico & Serpentico) vs Eddie Pearl & Ricky Gibson
When I first read this match lineup, I was shocked to see Ricky Morton in action against SAP. Then, upon further inspection, I was shocked to see that Ricky Morton would not be in action against SAP, but Ricky Gibson would! He and Pearl used to be (?) known as Midnight Heat, so that just makes things even more confusing. A for their opponents, I know we have a big Tag Team #1 Contenders match on deck tonight, but I honestly feel like SAP should have been in that conversation.
Angelico kicked things off against Pearl and it was kind of like putting a bowl of spaghetti next to a bowl of oranges. Angelico has the agaility and Pearl had the strength. A quick tag to Gibson allowed him to show off his skill, but Angelico was waiting for him and backed him into the corner for a tag to Serpentico.
Gibson towered over Serpentico, but it didn’t stop the luchadore from kicking him square in the face. Gibson hit a slingshot backbreaker off the ropes before tagging in Pearl to toss Serpentico around. Pearl locked in a sleeper, but Serpentico battled out of it with a jawbreaker. Gibson sent Serpentico into the corner, following him in, but Serpentico dodged and Gibson hit the ring post, crotch first.
A hot tag was made to Angelico who immediately started cleaning house. He used Pearl as a springboard to deliver a forearm to Gibson, sending him to the outside. he rolled up Pearl, but Gibson broke up the pin. Serpentico got involved and send Gibson to the outside, followed by a Suicide dive.
In the ring, Angelico locked in a calf crusher on Pearl and while Serpentico dealt with Gibson on the outside, Pearl tapped giving the victory to SAP.
Match Result: Spanish Announce Project (Angelico & Serpentico) defeat Eddie Pearl & Ricky Gibson
I absolutely love SAP. They have a really unique fusion of high-flyer and Luchadore technique and they are also the best dancers in ROH, bar none.
-Next, footage of the Frat House at a bar (in the middle of the afternoon) was shown. They were being jerks, when suddenly the Dark Order showed up and challenged them to a… drinking contest? Anyway, they decided to play Flip Cup. The losers would have to pay everyone’s tab. Long story short, Dark Order won, but the Frat House said that they cheated. John Silver said they’d pick up the tab anyways to great cheers. Alex Reynolds told the barkeep to charge everything to Griff Garrison, to which the bartender responded “who the hell is Griff Garrison?”
Pure Rules Match: Serena Deeb vs B3CCA
With the first-ever Women’s Pure Champion being crowned at Supercard of Honor, it’s about time Deeb got her hands dirty. I’d say Deeb is a favourite to win the tournament. B3CCA has one other ROH match under her belt (a 2023 loss to Leyla Hirsch) and I hope she gets what’s coming to her in this match because she’s making me type “B3CCA” over and over again.
Deeb and B3CCA locke dup and Deeb was in firm control. B3CCA was forced to use her first of three rope breaks at just :53 seconds into the match. Off the ropes, Deeb planted B3CCA with a stiff shoulder and then pulled her into a modified surfboard into a camel clutch.
Deeb continued to try submission after submission, forcing B3CCA to use her second rope break at 2:35. B3CCA sent Deeb into the corner and followed her with some high European uppercuts. She hit a dropkick on Deeb, but only mustered a two-count.
Deeb hit a neckbreaker across the second rope into a hammer lock lariat for another two-count. Deeb hit a double hammerlock facebuster in the middle of the ring. She moved it into a half-crab stretch and B3CCA was forced to tap out.
Match Result: Serena Deeb defeats B3CCA
Sorry B3CCA, but this is what happens when you disrespect the letter “e.”
-After the match Trish Adora came out to the ramp with a notebook, scouting for the ever-impending Women’s Pure Championship Tournament.
ROH World Tag Team Title #1 Contendership Match: The Infantry (Carlie Bravo & Shawn Dean) (w/Lee Moriarty, Shane Taylor & Trish Adora) vs Top Flight (Dante Martin & Darius Martin) (w/Leila Grey)
The Sons of Texas (Dustin Rhodes and Sammy Guevara) have been tag team champions in ROH since August 17th, 2024. They have defended against the likes of The Undisputed Kingdom, The Righteous and The MxM Collection. Their next challengers will be revealed tonight as The Infantry and Top Flight face off. These teams have a long history and if they can keep it clean, this should be an absolute banger of a match.
Darious and Dean kicked things off with a power struggle. Darious’ speed won out as he flipped Dean into a snap headlock. Dante make a sneak tag and he and Darious double teamed Dean until he could get a tag to Bravo.
Bravo delivered some hard shots to Dante who manged to get a tag to Darious, who sent Dean out of the ring, with Bravo to follow. Shane Taylor tried to trip up Darious, but he slipped outside and started chasing Dean around the ring. Unfortunately he ran into Bravo who knocked him down.
Back in the ring, Darious was being doubled teamed, with Bravo leaving Dean to finish up. Bravo hung him up in a tree of woe and Dean jumped in so they could double stomp him. Bravo sent Darious to the ring apron (the hardest part of the ring) and he and Dean punched him in the stomach (the hardest part of Darious!).
Dante paced nervously as across the ring, Dean and Bravo wailed on his isolated partner. Darious managed to play a little possum and grab Bravo and Dean for a double DDT before getting a hot tag to Dante. Dante cleaned house with a springboard cannonball onto both members of the Infantry,
Dante and Dean remained in the ring and Dante hit a high crossbody for a two count. Trish Adora hopped up on the ring to cause a distraction, allowing Dean to try a pin with a handful of tights. Dante kicked out and tagged in Darious. Adora hopped back up in the apron, but Grey came by swinging and the two battled up the entrance ramp.
In the ring, Darious and Dean were legal and Dean sent Darious into the ropes, allowing Moriarty to clock him with the Pure title belt. That gave Dean the chance to get a quick pin and win the match.
Match Result: The Infantry (Carlie Bravo & Shawn Dean) defeat Top Flight (Dante Martin & Darius Martin)
A pretty good match between these teams, but honestly I expected a little more. The crowd was kinda dead so that didn’t help either. No matter though, as The Infantry will make a great opponent for the Sons of Texas and maybe this is the start of the Shane Taylor Promotions takeover that I so desperately want to see.
