Greetings and salutations! Its been since December of 2021 that I did one of these but we are back with your weekly Slam Wrestling report for Ring of Honor. Some of the advertised matches of the night included ROH Women’s World Champion, Athena taking on Lady Frost in a proving ground match. Rocky Romero is also making his first ROH appearance since 2019 as he is set to take on Lee Moriarty. One match that I am really looking forward to is Blake Christian taking on Demand Lucha regular, Gringo Loco. There is tons more on this card so without further ado, let’s get to it.

The show kicks off as Ian Riccaboni, Caprice Coleman, and Nigel McGuiness are on the call. We kick things off with a title match.

ROH Women’s World Title Proving Ground Match: Athena VS Lady Frost

I guess this is ROH’s equivalent of an eliminator match. Frost got things started off and used her acrobatic skills against the ROH champion. Frost with a Headscissors on Athena. Frost had control of the match until Athena hits Frost with a Backbreaker. Frost was able to come back and get Athena to the corner and then doing a Cartwheel Cannonball smacking her right in the face. Frost is now in control and goes to the top rope but Athena cut her off all while talking trash. Athena may have talked too much trash because Frost Hurricane Kicks Athena and continues back to the top and hits a Corkscrew Moonsault. Athena rolled out of the ring to avoid the pin. Frost went to get Athena back but she hits a huge Forearm which knocked Frost out giving Athena the pinfall win.

Winner: ROH Women’s Champion; Athena

After the match, Athena attacked Frost and drove her head straight into the belt. Athena poses on top of a fallen Frost posing with her belt.

The Kingdom cuts a promo where they are incredibly frustrated in ROH. They continue their rant with a video essay. After losing the titles they didn’t get a rematch. Instead they faced Top Flight. Instead of honoring Jay Briscoe, they were overlooked at Supercard of Honor. They vow to get back at the teams featured in that ladder match as they make their way to Tag Team Title glory.

La Faccion Ingobernable (Preston Vance & Rush) (w/Jose The Assistant) VS The Infantry (Carlie Bravo & Shawn Dean)

Very typical match that was essentially meant to feature La Faccion. Vance drills Bravo with a Big Boot to start the match. Vance went for a Full Nelson but Dean drops Rush off the apron and interjects on Vance. This didn’t sit well with Vance as he hits both men with a Clothesline. Its time for Rush to come into the match and he hits the Bull’s Horn on Bravo for the win.

Winners: La Faccion Ingobernable (Preston Vance & Rush) (w/Jose The Assistant)

Best Friends (Chuck Taylor & Trent Beretta) defeated Joe Ocasio & Mookie Summers

Bareeta nd Ocasio start things off and Ocasio gets the best of Baretta for a bit until Ocasio ends u int he corner and Baretta hits a running Knee strike. Taylor and Summers get tagged in and it didn’t take long for Taylor to pick Summers up and hit a Pop-Up Powerbomb on him. Best Friends are both in the ring and they hit poor Ocasio with Piledrivers and Summers with a Doomsday Knee. This was enough to put the match away.

Winners: Best Friends (Chuck Taylor & Trent Beretta)

Brian Cage (w/Prince Nana) VS Leon Ruffin

The artist formally known as Leon Ruff in NXT was given a HUGE ovation for this match. That said, this was a classic 1992 Superstars squash match. Cage throws Ruffin around like Chyna threw Marlena back in 1996. Cage attempts a Suplex but Ruffin fights out of it and tries to go for a Top-Rope Crossbody but Cage catches him like a catcher catching a fastball. Cage slams Ruffin with a Front Slam and as he went for an F-5, Ruffin reverses this into a DDT. Ruffin hit some moves on Cage but Cage hits a HUGE Clothesline on him. Cage with a Powerbomb and followed that up with a new Leg Submission move that looked a bit like a Sharpshooter (but it wasn’t). Ruffin gives up giving Cage the win.

Winner: Brian Cage

The Dark Order (Evil Uno & Stu Grayson) VS The Trustbusters (Jeeves Kay & Sonny Kiss) (w/Slim J)

Kay starts the match off with Uno and gets a bit of offense on him. Kiss gets the tag and hits a slap after a Handspring. The Righteous comes out and watches the match from the stage. Kay and Kiss try to double-team Uno but Uno powers through and hits a Suplex on Kay. Grayson gets the tag and beats both members of The Truthbusters up. Kiss gets smashed with a Electric Chair turned Powerbomb maneuver. Grayson with a kick and Uno powerbombs Kay for the win.

Winners: The Dark Order (Evil Uno & Stu Grayson)

After the match, The Dark Order have a stare down with The Righteous.

Dasha Fuentes is in the back and was joined by Christopher Daniels. Fuentes asked Daniels what is next for him. Daniels pondered a bit and said this is currently one of the lowest points of his career but he is going to earn is keep in ROH. He then calls out Samoa Joe and challenged him to a TV title match next week.

Skye Blue VS Diamante

Blue got things started early and went for the pin that made Diamante reach for the ropes. Blue follows her and Diamante throws Blue to the ropes. Diamante with a Neckbreaker on Blue and then hits a Baseball Slide sending Blue to the outside. Diamante with some more offense until Blue fights back and eventually hits a Crossbody on Diamante for a 2-count. Blue now with a Rising Knee/Low Kick that sent Diamante outside. Both women ended up back in the middle of the ring and they exchange Forearms back and forth. Diamante with a German Suplex right on the apron and follows that up with a corner Dropkick but Blue saved the matcha s she grabbed the ropes to break the pin. Diamante now with a roll attempt that Blue rolled through to get a pin attempt of her own that gave her the three count and the win!

Winner: Sky Blue

After the match, Athena comes out with Blue’s hat and stomps on it. THE AUDACITY!

Lee Moriarty (w/Big Bill) VS Rocky Romero

Romero with the early advantage on Moriarty. Moriarty ended up all tied on the ropes allowing Romero to Dropkick him. This got Big Bill involved distracting Romero giving Moriarty the time to attack Romero and knock him off the apron and onto the barricade. Moriarty now focusing the attack on Romero’s arm and fingers. Both men ended up back in the ring and soe back and forth between the two ended with Romero hitting a Tornado DDT on Moriarty. Moriarty is now all dazed and confused and Romero keeps the attack coming chopping Moriarty into the corner allowing Romero to do his Forever Clotheslines but Moriarty eventually got a clothesline in to stop things from going fully Romero’s way.

Moriarty hits a Tiger Driver ’18 on Romero for a 2-count. Both men are back up and they trade strikes and arm submissions until Romero rolled Moriarty up for a close pinfall attempt. Now strikes and Romero hits a Rewind kick on Moriarty who ends up outside on the floor. Romero continues to the attack outside and hits a Heasdscissors from the steps. Back in the ring Romero hits a Sliced Bread for a damn close 2-count. Romero with a Hurricanrana sending Moriarty to the outside yet again. Romero wants to continue the momentum so he goes for a dive only to hit Big Bill instead. With the ref distracted, Bill now chokeslams Romero and tosses him back into the ring only to have Moriarty hit a Leg Lariat for the win.

Winner: Lee Moriarty

After the match in the back, Romero was not happy with the outcome of this match and challenged Moriarty to a Pure Rules match next week.

Blake Christian VS Gringo Loco

I am super stoked to see Loco in ROH to say the least. Both men work with their speed and Christian goes for a Fosbury Fop but Loco avoids it and hits a dive of his own. The match goes from 0 to 100 real fast here. Christian cuts Loco off and spears him then hits a Fosbury Flop in the outside. They end up in the ring and Christian goes for a Spanish Fly but Loco stops it and hits a Head Kick. Christian comes right back with a Springboard Handspring Kick giving him a close nearfall. Loco comes right back and hits a Powerbomb for a nearfall of his own. This opening gave Loco the time to climb to the rope but Christian powers up and is also on the top rope with Loco. Loco ends up winning this mini-battle as he hits an Inside-Out Spanish Fly but it was only good for a 2-count.

Th two men battle back and forth and Loco takes Christian up the rope in an Electric Chair, Christian tried a Powerbomb but Loco lands jumps out and lands on his feet and Christian eventually hit a Spanish Fly and  shortly thereafter hits a 450 splash for the win!

Winner: Blake Christian

And that my friends was the show! Until next week!

3.5

ROH TV: April 27, 2023

Pretty fun show that lasted just over an hour. The matches all felt fast paced. It was fun to see Rocky Romero in an ROH ring again.  I cannot wait for Samoa Joe vs Christopher Daniels next week! The main event was tons of fun and I hope to see more Gringo Loco in ROH and AEW. Until next time