ROH Death Before Dishonor Review – July 21, 2023
Pure Rules Match
Josh Woods vs. Tracy Williams (Pre Show)
Josh Woods & Tracy Williams do some grappling to start this match off and Woods takes him to the mat for an arm crank & that sends Williams to the ropes for his 1st break but he makes the mistake of grabbing the rope to avoid an Irish whip meaning that’s the 2nd break.
Williams goes with a suplex to take over and hits a running shot in the corner for a two count before a piledriver gets another two count though Woods has to put his foot on the rope for a break. Woods is back up with a gutwrench suplex for a two count as Williams uses his last rope break.
They go to the apron with Woods snapping off a German suplex before tying him up in a guillotine in the ropes & with no more breaks Williams has to tap out.
Winner By Submission: Josh Woods (8:35)
Rate: 7
Tag Team Match
The Workhorsemen (JD Drake & Anthony Henry) vs. Action Andretti & Darius Martin (Pre Show)
The Workhorsemen attacks Action Andretti & Darius Martin but Andretti & Martin fight back before Martin gets beaten down in the corner with JD Drake getting to stomp away then Anthony Henry grabs a front facelock to slow Martin down but he gets away and brings Andretti in to pick up the pace.
Martin gets taken down & that allows Henry to hit a moonsault then Andretti picks up Henry for a Death Valley Driver but it gets stop before Andretti muscles Henry up for the torture rack neckbreaker for the win.
Winners: Action Andretti & Darius Martin (7:20)
Rate: 6
Leyla Hirsch vs. Trish Adora (Pre Show)
Trish Adora goes for the arm to take over with the power so Leyla Hirsch slips to the floor for a breather and leaves Adora frustrated then back in and Hirsch goes after the legs to take over but Adora blocks a suplex attempt with straight power.
Hirsch switches to the arm and cranks away but Adora manages a bridging German suplex from her knees before Hirsch knocks her into the corner for a running dropkick only to have Adora come back with a backbreaker.
Hirsch misses a running kick so they trade rollups for a two count each before Hirsch pulls her into the cross armbreaker to make Adora tap out.
Winner By Submission: Leyla Hirsch (8:25)
Rate: 6
AR Fox vs. Shane Taylor (Pre Show)
AR Fox tries to grab the wrist to start this match off but gets nail with a single shot then back up and Fox kicks away including an enziguri into a dropkick to send Taylor to the outside then a big dive drops Taylor again and Fox adds another one.
Back in and Taylor unloads in the corner to knock Fox outside where the beating can continue. Fox gets in a shot of his own and hits a springboard imploding 450 to take Taylor down.
Some more kicks to the head set up a springboard Stunner but Taylor headbutts him in the chest then a release Rock Bottom sets up a splash to give Taylor a two count before the apron leg drop misses for Taylor though allowing Fox to hit a running hanging DDT for a two count.
Back up and Taylor at least tries to crotch Fox on top but Fox rolls through before Welcome To The Land gives Taylor a two count as Fox gets his hand on the rope before a middle rope Marcus Garvey Driver is broken up and Fox manages a Death Valley Driver before the 450 Splash puts Taylor away.
Winner: AR Fox (10:20)
Rate: 7
Gravity vs. Komander
Gravity flips out of a wristlock then bridges back into a roll up for a two count then back up and Gravity does a slow motion walk before being sent outside for a big dive from Komander before a shooting star press gives Komander a two count but Gravity sends him outside. A big running dive is teased but Gravity flips onto the top turnbuckle instead, setting up the dive instead (that was cool).
Back in the ring Komander kicks him down but his moonsault hits raised boots before a sitout powerbomb gives Gravity a two count but Komander faceplants him down with Gravity rolling to the floor, Komander hits the big multiple springboard spinning dive but Gravity crotches him back inside.
Komander drops him ribs first on the top and hits the rope walk moonsault for a two count then Gravity gets planted again and tries to drag Komander to the middle of the ring only to get small package to get the win.
Winner: Gravity (10:15)
Rate: 7
Television Title Match
Samoa Joe (c) vs. Dalton Castle
Samoa Joe goes outside to glare at Stokely Hathaway the back inside Dalton Castle takes a breather this time meaning we get a lap around the ring. Castle comes inside again and starts striking away before tripping Joe down.
Some splashes to the back keep Joe down & Joe is sick of Castle he nails him with a clothesline before a chop to the back sets up the neck crank to keep Castle down then he gets a 1 count off a snap suplex and Joe sends Castle outside only to have The Boys throw him back in.
Joe hits a powerslam for a two count but The Boys distraction lets Castle get in a hurricanrana on the floor then hits a suicide dive to Joe followed by a T Bone suplex. Joe is sent outside and tells Hathaway to fix this which earns The Boys an ejection & the distraction lets Joe hit him low and grab the Coquina Clutch for the win.
Winner By TKO & Still Television Champion: Samoa Joe (13:35) (STILL CHAMPION!!!!)
Rate: 6
ROH World Tag Team Titles Fatal 4 Way Match
Lucha Bros (Pentagon Jr & Rey Fenix) (c) vs. Best Friends (Trent Beretta & Chuck Taylor) vs. The Kingdom (Matt Taven & Mike Bennett) vs. Aussie Open (Mark Davis & Kyle Fletcher)
Chuck Taylor & Matt Taven start things off but quickly hand it off to Mike Bennett & Trent Beretta for the chop exchange before Rey Fenix comes in and gets slam by Kyle Fletcher then that sets up a double Aussie elbow.
Lucha Bros & Aussie Open exchanging kicks to the head as everything breaks down before Best Friends are sent outside but Beretta is back in to superplex Bennett onto the pile.
Back in and Taven hits Aurora Borealis for a two count on Beretta but the Proton Pack is broken up. Beretta gets in a tornado DDT and he reluctantly brings in Pentagon Jr for a crossbody to The Kingdom before Fear Factor gets a two count on Taven before Aussie Open kick Pentagon down.
Fenix gets drops into a cutter from the top and Aussie Open kick people in the face before they get a 2 count off The Whirlybird but The Kingdom is back in & they hit Rockstar Supernova then goes for the cover but Taylor makes the save.
Hail Mary is broken up but the big hug is broken up as well before a Soul Food into the dragon suplex drops Bennett but Maria gets on the apron and opens her jacket for a hug from Taylor but Trent gets said hug instead before Mark Davis pulls him into a piledriver.
Lucha Bros are back in with the spike Fear Factor to Davis for a two count with Bennett making the save. Hail Mary & Proton Pack are both broken up and Strong Zero hits Bennett with Lucha Bros having to pull the referee at two.
Pentagon takes out Beretta and Davis has to make a diving save then Aussie Open drill Beretta to the mat with Coriolis gets the win.
Winners & New ROH World Tag Team Champions: Aussie Open (17:13) (NEW CHAMPIONS!!!!)
Rate: 7
6 Man Tag Team Titles Match
The Embassy (Brain Cage, Kaun & Toa Liona) (c) vs. Six Or Nine (Ryusuke Taguchi & Master Wato) & Leon Ruffin
Brian Cage gets triple teamed by Six Or Nine & Leon Ruffin to get this match started which is quickly broken up by Toa Liona. Ruffin is suplexes hard into the corner and The Embassy take over in a hurry. Cage comes in to get in his own shots before Kaun hits a running backsplash for a two count but Ruffin grabs a jawbreaker.
A clothesline drops Ruffin again though and the beating gets to continue. Ruffin manages to reverse a backbreaker onto the top turnbuckle into a DDT and it’s Master Wato coming in to clean house. Kaun has had it and grabs a suplex but Ryusuke Taguchi is back in with the Funky Weapon as Oh My & Garankle has Kaun in big trouble until Liona makes the save.
Taguchi gives Cage a 619 but Kaun elbows Ruffin’s head off then a low blow to stagger Kaun though and a small package gives Taguchi a two count then back in and Ruffin hits a flipping cutter on Cage but Liona gives him a swinging backbreaker for a two count.
The Embassy all grab Ruffin and throw him into the air for the crash for the victory.
Winners & Still 6 Man Tag Team Champions: The Embassy (12:20) (STILL CHAMPIONS!!!!)
Rate: 5
Pure Title Match
Katsuyori Shibata (c) vs. Daniel Garica
Katsuyori Shibata takes Daniel Garcia to the mat for the stomp onto the fingers before a Figure 4 has Garcia going straight to the ropes and taking a breather on the floor. That’s fine with Shibata as he sends Garcia into the barricade a few times to put Garcia down again. Garcia gets in a quick shot though and holds up the title for some showboating.
Back in and Garcia works on a hammerlock but Shibata pops up for the standoff. Garcia dances so Shibata sits down and grabs the arms then there a slap to Garcia & Shibata takes him into the corner for the running basement dropkick before Garcia is right back with an STF but Shibata reverses into a bow and arrow.
An exchange of suplexes leave them both down and they slug it out from their knees. Garcia charges into a boot to the face and they trade clotheslines for another double knockdown. They slug it out until Garcia gets the Dragon Tamer. Shibata escapes as well and wins a chop off & that sets up the sleeper then nails PK to put Garica away.
Winner & Still Pure Champion: Katsuyori Shibata (14:35) (STILL CHAMPION!!!!)
Rate: 7
6 Man Tag Team Fight Without Honor Match
Dark Order (Evil Uno, John Silver & Alex Reynolds) vs. The Righteous (Vincent, Dutch & Stu Grayson)
Evil Uno hammers on Stu Grayson to start the match off but Grayson sends him to the apron for a spear through a well placed table. Dutch brings in a barbed wire 2×4 and Alex Reynolds is already busted open.
John Silver busted out the bag of thumb tacks but is quickly Boss Man Slam onto them for a two count. Uno chairs Grayson in the back but Vincent makes the save.
Vincent tears the mask open and Uno is cut with Vincent hammering at the gash. Reynolds is back in with a chair for the save and the Stunner/German/Jackknife gets a two count on Dutch. Uno getting his own bag containing Legos before a triple flipping slam to Grayson is broken up leaving Dutch to powerbomb Uno onto the Legos.
Vincent tries a Swanton to the floor onto Silver on the table which doesn’t break at all then back in and Uno gets powerbombs onto the Legos for a two count then Grayson, Reynolds & Dutch head up the stage. Dutch gets pushed off the stage through the barbed wire table leaving Silver to kick away at Vincent inside.
Grayson kicks Uno down and sets up a huge ladder then climbs it before Uno tips the ladder over Grayson crashes through 2 tables on the floor then Dark Order nails Grayson with a triple flipping powerbomb for the win.
Winners: Dark Order (16:40)
Rate: 7
ROH World Title Match
Claudio Castagnoli (c) vs. PAC
Claudio Castagnoli hits a quick Swiss Death for an two count before they head outside with Castagnoli dropping him onto the barricade but the Swing is broken up inside. Back to the floor and up the ramp they go with Castagnoli Swinging him on the stage. Castagnoli comes up favoring his knee though allowing PAC to score with a top rope moonsault back at ringside.
A whip sends Castagnoli’s knee into the barricade again before setting up a missile dropkick for a two count back inside before a top rope superplex gives PAC a another two count but Castagnoli is back up to send PAC crashing through a well placed ringside table.
Back in and the seated elbows into the Neutralizer gives Castagnoli a two count as PAC fights up and starts striking away until Castagnoli nails him with a clothesline to leave them both own.
With PAC on the apron the apron superplex is blocked but a super hurricanrana is blocked as well then a super Riccola Bomb gets counter into a hurricanrana before the Black Arrow misses for PAC but the Riccola Bomb is once again countered this time into the Brutalizer.
Castagnoli has to climb the corner for a super Air Raid Crash to escape so PAC goes for the turnbuckle & Wheeler Yuta to distract PAC & that allows Castagnoli to hit a running Riccola Bomb to get the win.
Winner & Still ROH World Champion: Claudio Castagnoli (18:30) (STILL CHAMPION!!!!!)
Rate: 8 (Recommend)
Women’s Title Match
Athena (c) vs. Willow Nightingale
Athena immediately bails to the floor. Back in and Willow Nightingale powers her around before they forearm it out. Athena gets a two count off a crucifix before a fisherman’s buster from Nightingale gets a 2 count of her own then a crucifix gives Athena a two count and she sends Nightingale outside in a crash. Back in and the double knees connect in the corner then sets up a chinlock.
Nightingale powers her way up and hammers away only to get drop with a quick shot to the face for a two count then Nightingale tries to hit Babe With The Powerbomb but Athena reverses into a Snapmare Driver for a two count.
Nightingale hits a swinging neckbreaker gets a two count but Athena is right back with Obliteration. She muscles Nightingale up and into a sitout powerbomb for two before going up to the top rope.
Nightingale grabs her & nails a super Death Valley Driver for a near fall before they head outside and Athena posts her then sets up O Face for a near fall back inside then Babe With The Powerbomb gets a 2 count but Athena is back up with another O Face then she locks in the crossface and Athena even grabs a leg & Nightingale passes out.
Winner By Submission & Still Women’s Champion: Athena (20:30) (STILL CHAMPION!!!!)
Rate: 9 (Recommend)
