Ring of Honor celebrates their 100th TV episode in the Tony Khan era on HonorClub with a men’s TV title defense.
After surviving a Proving Ground match recently, QT Marshall will challenge reigning champion Komander for the title tonight in hopes of his first ROH singles title.
Former ROH Pure Champion Katsuyori Shibata will battle Shane Taylor in what should be a hard-hitting match while The Beast Mortos will take on Lord Crewe.
In a key contest in the women’s division, Taya Valkyrie will go one-on-one with the high-flying Lady Frost. Leila Grey will also be in action, battling former NWA Women’s Tag Team Champion Marti Belle.
Ahead of their AEW Collision bout with Brody King & Buddy Matthews, the Gates of Agony will take on Jay Lucas & Terry Yaki.
Fan favorites The Outrunners will compete, going heads-up against Jon Cruz & Rosario Grillo.
**********
Here we be, Ring of Honor Faithful! The milestone 100th episode of Ring of Honor on Honorclub and what a ride it’s been. I’ll be honest, I was not super familiar with Ring of Honor when I started this gig, but over the episodes I’ve covered, I have developed a real excitement for Thursday nights! This is some of the best wresting out there right now, with exciting matches and lots of really, really good workers. The storylines and presentation need a little work in order to create a cohesive show week to week, but hey, that’s what the next 100 episodes are for! And I’m stoked to see how ROH develops in the coming year.
So with all that said, let’s strap on some incorrect Premier Athletes merch, have a quick dance with Angelico and Serpentico, re-up our Minion memberships, touch some tips and get right into it!
-In the cold open, we were joined by former ROH World Champion Mark Briscoe who professed his love and offered congrats to everyone in ROH for reaching 100 episodes.
ROH World Television Title Match: Komander (w/Alex Abrahantes) (c) defeated QT Marshall
A few weeks ago, Marshall made the smart choice and allowed as much time to run off the clock as possible in a Proving Ground match against Komander. This led to Marshall winning the match (which honestly, rarely happens) and earning and shot at Komander’s ROH TVT Title. Marshall is cashing in his win on the 100th episode of ROH on Honorclub and this should be a good one! Komander has only defended the title one other time since winning it at Final Battle 2024 so this could make for a short title reign!
Marshall had the definite size advantage over Komander and has been working in Mexico a lot recently, so he knows how to work around luchadore speed and agility. Komander however, outlasted 5 other wrestlers to win that title in the first place, so his endurance wasn’t something to sneeze at.
Marshall tried to over power Komander off the top, but Komander countered with a hurricanrana. Marshall laid in a really great backbreaker into spiked DDT, sending Komander bouncing out of the ring. Marshall chopped Komander against the barricade, but drove his hand into the ringpost when Komander ducked.
Back in the ring, Marshall caught Komander with a pop up forearm to the face and dragged him down for a two-count. Marshall then tried to take off Komander’s mask to a chorus of boos. Marshall left the ring and Komander followed via the top turnbuckle and a big moonsault.
Komander tried a springboard moonsault fromthe second rope, but Marshall got his knees up. Komander tried to battle back, but Marshall caught him with Diamond Cutter out of nowhere. Masrhall climbed out and grabbed the TV Title belt. Komander reversed the distraction into a Mexican destroyer though and went tot he top rope.
Komander tried to get Marshall with a dive, but Marshall rolled out of the ring onto the raised entrance ramp. Back in the ring, Komander hit another Mexican Destroyer followed by the running moonsault to get the 1-2-3 and retain his ROH TV Title!
After the match, Lee Johnson wandered down the ramp. He made the universal sign for “title belt” at Komander, who invited him into the ring. Johnson said “another day” though and left from where he came.
Backstage. He was backstage and then went back there.
Leila Grey defeated Marti Belle
The last time we saw Top Flight’s Grey in ROH, it was on the losing end of a Proving Ground match with ROH Women’s World Champion Athena. Since then, Grey actually won the MCW Women’s Champion from Gia Scott, but lost it back to her the next night. Since then, she’s been taking losses in AEW and NJPW, so a win here would be nice. Belle is a bookish young girl from the French countryside with an affinity for beast— no, wait, she’s actually the current EMERGE Women’s Champion, and enjoyed some success in TNA where she teamed with none other than Allysin Kay.
The two locked up right off the top, trading waistlocks until Grey got the advantaged and locked in an armbar. Belle worked her way out though and the wasitlocks resumed. Grey came out on top again, sending Belle to the corner for a healthy serving of forearms. Belle tried to reverse it, but Grey was waiting and hit a bulldog.
Grey headed to the top turnbuckle but Belle knocked the ropes, sending her to the mat. Belle worked Grey in the corner and sent her into the ropes for a clothesline. Belle started playing to the crowd which may not have been the best idea as it gave Grey a chance to battle back, sending Belle to the ground with a clothesline of her own.
Grey hit a running neckbreaker into a dragon sleeper and Belle had no choice but to tap out.
The Outrunners (Truth Magnum & Turbo Floyd) defeated Jon Cruz & Rosario Grillo
The Outrunners are always going to be Fan Favourites. Their 80’s schtick fits in really well in ROH because they are the only ones doing it and they are doing it very, very well. I wanted to dislike them, I really did. But their enthusiasm is infectious and they can work all the power moves in the ring. Cruz and Grillo are regular faces in ROH, but probably not greasy enough to be up to the task of beating Magnum and Floyd.
The Electric Code of Honor was adhered to, and Cruz and Floyd kicked things off while Magnum fired up the crowd. They traded the most intense wristlocks and breakneck speed, with Magnum coming out on top and Cruz exiting the ring. Cruz wandered over to the ramp where the Outrunners had left their BluBlocker Raybans. Cruz stomped on them, enraging the Outrunners.
Magnum dragged Cruz back to the ring and tagged in Floyd. Cruz tried to throw some potatoes, but Floyd shrugged them off and dropped him on the mat with a stalling snowplow! Grillo jumped in and Floyd tossed him out. Cruz tried to sneak up on Floyd, but that just brought in Magnum. The Outrunners locked hands and hit the Mascularity followed by a Total Recall. That was it for Cruz and Grillo, with Grillo never officially making it into the match.
The lesson: Do not destroy the shades of 1980’s time travelers.
-Next up ROH Women’s World Champion Athena joined us in a taped promo from Japan. She showed some clips from her “world tour” and promised to be back in ROH very soon.
The Beast Mortos defeated Lord Crewe
The Beast Mortos found his way back to ROH last week where he and Tony Neese beat the ever-lovin’ heck out of each other. Mortos would be someone that I pushed into a Main Event slot in ROH as soon as possible, but they don’t let me write the show (yet), just write about it. As for his opponent, they should re-name him Lorde “Chew” by the way Mortos was looking at Crewe. Being a beast, it’s presumed that Mortos would want to eat Crewe, but for now a wrestling match is a good start.
Crewe stood a few inches taller than Mortos, but when taking on a beast size really doesn’t matter. It’s all about how long you can survive. Crew looked like he might last a while until Mortos flattened him with a series of kicks and armdrags.
Crewe tried a quick rollup, but it only got a two. Mortos and Crewe ran a fast, intense series off the ropes and Crewe actually managed to club Mortos to his knees, a feat not often seen. Crewe tried a running corner attack, but Mortos delievered an elbow instead.
The two big men got into the chops, with Crewe holding his own. Mortos began hitting sling blades, with the last one moving into a samoan drop. Mortos kept trying to overpower Crewe, but had unfortunately founda man who was his size equal. Mortos hit him with everything he had and managed to finally get Crewe down for the pin.
Mortos won the match, but Crewe was really impressive. With a little packaging and conditioning, he would fit in really well in AEW or WWE.
ROH Classic Match: ROH Tag Champions Christopher Daniels and Matt Sydal vs CIMA and Shingo (ROH International Challenge, 22nd December, 2006)
Christopher Daniels supposedly ended his long and legendary in-ring career in a bloody match against Hangman Page. To celebrate the Ring of Honor staple, this tag match from when Daniels was an ROH Tag Champion with Matt Sydal. Their opponents were two Dragon Gate veterans in CIMA and Shingo, so it was a “Dragon Gate Style” Match which was a lot of fun!
-Leila Grey was interviewed backstage. She was stoked about her win earlier in the evening and was thinking that it might time for her to challenge Red Velvet for the ROH Women’s TV Championship. Grey issued the challenge for next week. Get it? Got it? Good.
Taya Valkyrie (w/Deonna Purrazzo) defeated Lady Frost
Taya Valkyrie has been away from ROH for a while, but spent some time in AEW taking on Toni Storm and teaming with Purrazzo as “The Vendetta.” More importantly, Valkyrie’s home that she shares with husband Johnny TV was spared from the recent wildfires in the Los Angeles region where they live. Valkyrie has spent much of her time handing out food and supplies to displaced neighbors, which is pretty darn great of her.
Since October, Frost has racked up losses to a who’s who of ROH competitors such as Billie Starkz, Queen Aminata and even ROH Women’s World Champion Athena. She’s in deep here against a powerhouse in Valkyrie, but a win could turn things around for Frost in ROH.
Valkyrie had control off the top, powering through whatever Frost sent her way. Valkyrie wrestles with such confidence that it wasn’t a huge shock to see her having an answer for anything Frost threw at her.
Valkyrie dragged Frost out of the ring and threw her into the guardrail. She then mugged for a bit, giving Purrazzo the chance to stomp on Frost. Back in the ring, Frost tried to battle back, but only managed to get a dropkick in on Valkyrie’s spine. After that, Valkyrie hit a fallaway slam to regain control.
Frost managed to get Valkyrie into the corner for a running Snowball and then she climbed to the top turnbuckle for a crossbody and a two count. Valkyrie followed up with a blue thinder bomb and locked in Shania Pain. Frost’s head bounced off the mat and Valkyrie covered her for the pin.
-Jakked Jameson of all people joined us from the back. He was looking for new pals and approached Griff Garrison and Cole Karter. Jameson tried to convince them to join him in a new “fraternity” group. Chicks, parties, money, titles, awesome. They shooed Jameson away with a promise to talk about it.
Gates Of Agony (Bishop Kaun & Toa Liona) defeated Jay Lucas & Terry Yaki
Gates of Agony are here and they are in a foul, foul mood. The Gates lost to Shane Taylor Promotions a couple of weeks ago and that would turn anyone sour (not that they were exactly Teletubbies to begin with. They may have gotten into this match by accident while trying to order dinner, specifically Terry Yaki.
Lucas and his partner have been going by Top Team on the indies, but sadly his partner is the aforementioned horribly named Terry Yaki. He has lots of singles indie cred, but his name makes me genuinely angry, so I’m going to stop talking about him until the Gates do their thing. Their only ROH appearance before this was a loss to BEEF and Anthony Henry on ROH on Honorclub #80.
Kaun spent the opening minutes attempting to catch a very speedy Yaki. When he did, it was with a clothesline that sent Yaki spinning in the air. Liona tagged in for a try and prevented Yaki from getting a tag to Lucas. When he finally did, both Liona and Kaun met him in the middle of the ring and double teamed him. Liona covered Lucas and the match was over.
-Next, matches were made official! Next week, we will see ROH TV Champion Komander take on Lee Johnson and ROH Women’s TV Champion Red Velvet take on Leila Grey!
-The ROH World Champion “The Nueve” Chris Jericho joined us in a taped segment. He said that the 100th episode of Ring of Honor is the perfect time to show his 100 greatest moments! He ran down some former ROH Champions and congratulated ROH on 100 eps. Thanks Guys!
Katsuyori Shibata defeated Shane Taylor (w/Carlie Bravo, Lee Moriarty & Shawn Dean)
Shane Taylor is an animal. The 300+ lb Taylor not only has the distinction of being a former ROH World TV and Six-Man Champion, but he also has the most devastating stable backing him up with the likes of the Infantry and ROH Pure Champion Lee Moriarty at his side. Taylor, it goes without saying, is very, very good at pro wrestling. Shibata recently took a shot at Daniel Garcia and the AEW TNT Title on Collision but came up short. Shibata is 18-2 in ROH and wore the ROH Pure Title for 239 days before losing it to Wheeler Yuta. He is also very, very good at pro wrestling. Just saying.
The two locked up off the top, brawler vs technician. Taylor ran his mouth, calling Shibata a “little Japanese bitch.” That brought a slap from Shibata and the two began the ceremonial trading-of-chops, with Shibata (eventually) stunning Taylor, sending him into the corner. Shibata then charged him, but Taylor laid him out with an uppercut, sending him out of the ring.
On the outside, the Infantry and Moriarty stomped on Shibata while Taylor kept the Ref occupied. Taylor joined them, dropping a huge leg on Shibata on the ring apron (the hardest part of the ring!). Taylor showed no mercy, sending Shibata into the guardrail again.
Back in the ring, Shibata began a comeback that ended with a big lariat from Taylor. Taylor continued talking trash while Shibata staggered to his feet. Taylor peppered him with punches in the midsection. Taylor went for a splash, but Shitbata ducked it and threw some rapid fire chops on Taylor in the corner.
Shibata hit a suplex on the much larger Taylor and resumed punshing him in the head. Taylor stood and the two traded blows. Taylor hit a Marcus Garvey Driver, but Shibata was able to kick out at two. Taylor misjudged a move and Shibata locked in a sleeper. Taylor began to fade and Shibata broke the hold and delivered a massive knee to the face. He then pinned Taylor for the huge win.
After the match, The Infantry and Moriarty climbed into the ring and attacked Shibata. Taylor yelled instructions as the crew laid out Shibata. Taylor grabbed a chair and was about to introduce Shibata’s face to it until the AEW TNT Champion Daniel Garicia appeared at the top of the ring.
Shane Taylor Promotions considered this developement when suddenly, the Undisputed Kingdom arrived and stormed the ring! Adam Cole, Roderick Strong and Kyle O’Reilly ran off STP and stood tall with Shibata and Garcia in the ring.
The Camera cut to the backstage area where Don Callis cut a promo saying that Shibata was not bigger than Callis Family Member and AEW International Champion Konosuke Takeshita! A challenge was issued for the next episode of AEW Collison!
And there it is! 100 Episodes of Ring of Honor on Honorclub in the books! Here’s to the next 100!
