ROH TV Review – May 18, 2023
Kicking off this week’s ROH with we go backstage as Dasha with Willie Mack & Ninja Mack. They showed respect to each other and made the decision to team together.
ROH World Tag Team Champion Rey Fenix vs. Gringo Loco
Match starts off with Rey Fenix & Gringo Loco avoiding each other’s offence before Fenix scores the advantage with several kicks. Fenix sends Loco to the floor with an armdrag before following him outside with a springboard dive. Fenix hits a frog splash in the ring for a near fall. Loco caught Fenix on a rolling move then picks him up in a gorilla press before slamming him down.
After going for the mask Loco drops Fenix with a facebuster for a near fall then Fenix fought Loco off with a pair of thrust kicks before hitting a spinning back kick in the corner. Fenix follows up by running on the top rope to kick Loco in the head before landing another splash for a near fall. Loco cuts Fenix off but Fenix hit the Rewind Kick through the ropes.
Fenix brought Loco to the corner and went for a rolling cutter but Loco caught Fenix with a cutter of his own for a near fall. Fenix connects with a rolling Frankensteiner for a near fall before drilling Loco with a superkick.
Fenix brought Loco to the top rope before hitting a double jump rana for a near fall. Fenix brought Loco back to the top rope but Loco knocks him down before hitting a step up twisting Destroyer for a near fall. Loco brought Fenix up on his shoulders but Fenix pulls him down with a poisonrana then hits a rolling cutter to win.
Winner: ROH World Tag Team Champion Rey Fenix (Recommend)
Backstage Dasha is with The Wingmen’s Peter Avalon & Ryan Nemeth & they mock Iron Savages and want to prove that ROH is Wingmen Country.
Ian Riccaboni announces that Katsuyori Shibata will defend the Pure Title against his protégé Alex Coughlin in 2 weeks on ROH TV from Las Vegas.
Willow Nightingale vs. Madi Wrenkowski
Willow Nightingale lands a senton before Madi Wrenkowski hits a boot on Nightingale before choking her over the ropes then she brought Nightingale to the apron and covers her up with the apron itself then lands some strikes.
Back in the ring Nightingale is fired up & she hits a splash in the corner before hitting the spinebuster. Wrenkowski fought out of Babe With The Powerbomb by forcing Nightingale into the corner.
Nightingale caught Wrenkowski in powerbomb position but Wrenkowski took her down by the head for a near fall. Nightingale moves out of the way of a boot and hits Pounce. Nightingale follows up with Babe With The Powerbomb for the win.
Winner: Willow Nightingale
Tag Team Match
Iron Savages (Bronson & Boulder) vs. The Wingmen (Peter Avalon & Ryan Nemeth)
Ryan Nemeth was getting attack by Iron Savages then Nemeth desperately tags out to Peter Avalon & he got the advantage after Nemeth chop blocks Bronson.
Nemeth took some time to swivel his hips before he gets hit with a spinebuster from Bronson. Boulder tags in and ran wild on The Wingmen by landing a double flapjack.
Boulder went for a moonsault but Avalon moves and hit a splash of his own for a near fall. Boulder repeatedly pressed Avalon to kick out before dropping The Wingmen with a crossbody then Bronson tags in & Boulder drops Bronson onto The Wingmen for the win.
Winners: Iron Savages
Tag Team Match
Christopher Daniels & Matt Sydal vs. Cole Karter & Zack Clayton
Christopher Daniels & Matt Sydal hits some double team moves on Cole Karter then Zack Clayton tags in but met the same fate and took an double team combo for a near fall. Karter cuts Sydal off on the ropes & that allows Clayton to hit a lariat on Sydal.
Karter & Clayton works over Sydal with Karter sending Sydal off the top rope into a powerslam from Clayton then Karter hits a splash for a near fall that Daniels broke up.
Daniels tags in and ran wild by landing a bulldog/clothesline combo. Karter cuts off an Angel’s Wings attempt that brings in Sydal in to send Karter out. Daniels hits STO as Sydal landed a dive on Karter on the floor before Daniels hits Best Moonsault Ever for the win.
Winners: Christopher Daniels & Matt Sydal
Lady Frost vs. Miranda Alize
Miranda Alize drills Lady Frost with a rana before booting her in the gut. Alize hit a strong face wash boot in the corner but only scored a one count. Alize talks trash but Frost hits a jumping knee and a cartwheel cannonball in the corner for a near fall. Alize came back with a release suplex for a near fall then Alize hits a Tiger Driver for a near fall.
Alize set up a neckbreaker but Frost fought out and cartwheeled into an Air Raid Crash. Frost went to the top rope and hit a corkscrew moonsault for the win.
Winner: Lady Frost
Tag Team Match
Spanish Announce Project (Serpentico & Angelico) vs. Shinobi Shadow Squad (Cheeseburger & Eli Isom)
Cheeseburger & Serpentico starts this match off with Cheeseburger getting the better of Serpentico with technical maneuvers then Angelico broke up Cheeseburger’s momentum before tagging in and showing off his submissions moves.
Spanish Announce Project works over Cheeseburger until he got a tag out to Eli Isom & he runs wild by hitting a dive on Serpentico on the floor.
Luther boots Isom on the floor while the referee was focused in the ring. Angelico caught Cheeseburger in Navarro Special for the submission win.
Winners By Submission: Spanish Announce Project
NJPW Television Title Match
Zack Sabre Jr (c) vs. AR Fox
AR Fox caught Zack Sabre Jr a double dropkick combo in the corner for an near fall. Fox sends ZSJ to the floor and hits Superman Dive to the floor. Fox hits a springboard dropkick for a near fall. ZSJ got a hold of Fox’s arm and slams him down.
ZSJ starts the work on the arm by manipulating his wrist while in an armbar. Fox tried fighting back but lost ZSJ on an Irish whip attempt due to the bad arm. ZSJ works on the arm some more by twisting Fox into an armbar that Fox fought off. Fox caught ZSJ with a jumping clothesline. Fox boots ZSJ twice before hitting a swinging suplex for a near fall.
ZSJ went back to the arm then drops Fox to all 4s and stomping on his elbow. ZSJ hits Penalty Kick for a near fall. ZSJ toyed with Fox allowing Fox to fight back and send ZSJ to the floor. Sabre cut off a dive but Fox superkicked him in the ropes.
Fox hit a pendulum DDT for a near fall then Fox brought ZSJ to the top rope but ZSJ caught him in the Cobra Twist on the top rope. Fox pops back up then hits Lo Mein Pain for a near fall.
AR Fox went to the top rope but ZSJ rolls to the floor then Fox follows him with a dive to the floor. Back in the ring ZSJ avoided a 450 and caught Fox in a European Clutch for a near fall. ZSJ started ripping at Fox’s legs by catching Fox in the Orienteering With Napalm Death for the win.
Winner By Submission & Still NJPW Television Champion: Zack Sabre Jr (STILL CHAMPION!!!!)
After the match Dasha interviewed ZSJ after his win. He said that he saw a chance to make history as the 1st NJPW Television Champion, and he took it. He declared himself the best champion in wrestling and the most active Television Champion in wrestling. ROH Television Champion Samoa Joe came out taking offense to this. Joe offered a fight against ZSJ right now but Matt Sydal & Christopher Daniels made their way to the stage. Daniels stated that he, Joe & ZSJ have all held Television Titles but Sydal was overdue for a Television Title shot of his own. ZSJ offered up a tag team match with a Television Title shot on the line for Sydal & Daniels if they win. Everyone seemed to agree with ZSJ saying that afterward, they’ll figure out which Television Champion is better.
Tag Team Match
6 Man Tag Team Champions Gates Of Agony (Kaun & Toa Liona) vs. Dalton Castle & Brandon Tate
Brandon Tate starts off with Kaun and got the better of him in a grappling exchange. Kaun then tags in Toa Liona & he tackles Tate and threw him across the ring. Gates Of Agony threw Tate around for a while until Tate caught Kaun with a low flatliner. Kaun cuts him off and sent him into the ropes where Liona booted him.
Gates Of Agony clubbers on Tate more until Tate crotches Liona on a splash attempt. Dalton Castle got the hot tag and ran wild with offense. Liona took a half dozen splashes from Castle & Tate but Liona kicks out at one.
Tate got caught on a dive with Kaun taking out Castle with a gutbuster. Gates Of Agony lands a double facebuster on Tate for the win.
Winners: 6 Man Tag Team Champions Gates Of Agony
Trios Match
The Workhorsemen (JD Drake & Anthony Henry) & Shane Taylor vs. Midnight Heat (Eddie Pearl & Ricky Gibson) & Schaff
Anthony Henry caught Eddie Pearl with a kick to the midsection then JD Drake tags in and flattened Pearl with a senton and a Vader Bomb. Schaff tags in and he runs wild but Shane Taylor drops him with a lariat & as The Workhorsemen took out Midnight Heat Taylor hits Package Piledriver for the win.
Winners: The Workhorsemen & Shane Taylor
Backstage Dasha is with The Righteous then Stu Grayson enters the frame to wonder why they’d been watching him lately. The Righteous said that while the Dark Order brought him back, they were also holding him back. Dark Order came in to drive them away but Grayson decided to give The Righteous one chance to impress him.
Mercedes Martinez vs. Ashley D’Amboise
Mercedes Martinez couldn’t keep a hold on Ashley D’Amboise early on until she caught D’Amboise with a rolling forearm then Martinez hits 3 Amigos for a near fall. Martinez clobbers on D’Amboise until D’Amboise avoided a corner charge then D’Amboise fought back until she walked into a spinebuster for a near fall.
D’Amboise countered a Fisherman’s Suplex into a rollup for a near fall. D’Amboise threw a bunch of strikes at Martinez. D’Amboise caught Martinez with a forearm in the ropes, then followed it up with a Burning Hammer for a near fall. Martinez caught D’Amboise with a curb stomp follow by Brass City Sleeper for the submission win.
Winner By Submission: Mercedes Martinez
Tag Team Fight Without Honor Match
The Kingdom (Matt Taven & Mike Bennett) vs. Action Andretti & Darius Martin
The Kingdom blocks Action Andretti on the ramp but Darius Martin jumps them from behind to get this match started then the weapons comes out quickly with Mike Bennett catching a double dropkick with a chair in the face. Matt Taven took a drop toe hold into the chair, with Martin launching off of Taven’s back for a dropkick to Bennett.
Andretti & Martin clobbers on Taven with weapons as he was trap in a garbage can but Maria involved herself allowing Taven to dropkick a ladder into their faces. Martin got on the apron but Maria hits a low blow allowing Bennett to drill Martin with a chair.
Bennett hits Andretti with a spinebuster on top of a trash can. Taven hit Just The Tip on Martin with a ladder in his face but The Kingdom brought out a table to do more damage. They went for the Doomsday Device to the floor but Martin moves of the way & that leads to Taven taking out Bennett. Andretti hits an Arabian Press to The Kingdom on the floor.
Back in the ring we got a train of offense that left Darius Martin standing. Taven took down Martin with a chair to the back. The Kingdom hits Hail Mary to Martin on top of chairs. Andretti fought out of the Proton Pack by hitting a bulldog on Taven. Andretti puts Taven on a table then hits a springboard 450 Splash onto the table then he suplex Taven through the table then goes for the cover but Bennett broke it up.
Bennett & Andretti traded strikes, leading to Bennett hitting a spear and a Death Valley Driver through the table. Martin fought his way up but Taven drops him with the Purple Thunder for a near fall. Andretti & Martin got sent to the floor.
Maria hits Martin with a pipe and held him up for chops from Bennett. Bennett went for the rebound forearm but Martin moves out of the way and Maria took the shot instead.
Martin & Andretti fired up as they drop Taven on a chair then they hit Bennett with a Doomsday Device off the ladder to get the win.
Winners: Action Andretti & Darius Martin
After the match The Kingdom offers a handshake & Andretti & Martin accept it.
Matches Of The Night
Rey Fenix vs. Gringo Loco- 8/10
NJPW Television Title Match- 7/10
Tag Team Fight Without Honor Match – 7/10
