Ring Of Honor
Date: April 13, 2023
Location: Ryan Center, Kingston, Rhode Island
Commentators: Ian Riccaboni, Caprice Coleman
The show continues to go on the road with AEW and that could make for some changes to how things work. It is almost impossible to imagine doing the nearly two hour show in front of Dynamite so maybe things are going to be shuffled up a bit. Either way, I would still bet on Athena and Tony Nese getting in their regular appearances. Let’s get to it.
Opening sequence.
Ari Daivari vs. Mark Briscoe
Tony Nese, Josh Woods and Mark Sterling are here with Daivari. They roll around a bit to start until Daivari charges into an overhead belly to belly. A vertical suplex sends him outside but the distraction lets Nese get in a cheap shot to take over. The chinlock goes on for a bit, followed by a hammerlock DDT for two on Briscoe. The frog splash misses though and Briscoe gets to chop away. A Rock Bottom suplex into a hangman’s neckbreaker plants Daivari but it’s too early for the Jay Driller. Sterling’s distraction lets Nese and Woods interfere but they’re thrown out, meaning the Jay Driller can finish Daivari at 6:10.
Result: Mark Briscoe b. Ari Daivari – Jay Driller (6:10)
Post match the Varsity Athletes jump Briscoe but FTR makes the save.
Eddie Kingston reveals that he is suffering from a hernia and has been dealing with it since September. He went through the Supercard Of Honor match against Claudio Castagnoli but isn’t making any excuses. Odds are he is going to need surgery though and a lot of that is due to the beating Castagnoli gave him. He has been thinking back to his match with Cody Rhodes, when he gave his heart to AEW in the first place. Then he went home and he thought about it and now he is going to have to do it again.
Kelly Madan vs. Skye Blue
Blue teases a superkick to take Madan down and another kick puts her on the mat. Madan gets in a kick of her own and stops to dance, allowing Blue to kick her down again. Skyfall finishes for Blue at 2:06.
Result: Skye Blue b. Kelly Madan – Skyfall (2:06)
Mike Bennett vs. Darius Martin
Matt Taven and Maria Kanellis-Bennett are here with Bennett. Martin wins a slugout to start and they trade chops in the corner. The fight goes to the floor with Bennett being sent into the barricade but Taven offers a distraction on the way back inside. That’s enough for Bennett to take over on the apron, with a superkick rocking Martin. Bennett drops him hard onto the apron but Martin manages to get up for a clothesline through the ropes. Back in and a Spanish Fly gives Martin two but Taven comes in for the DQ at 4:57.
Result: Darius Martin b. Mike Bennett via DQ when Matt Taven interfered (4:57)
Post match the beatdown is on but Action Andretti makes the save.
Wheeler Yuta vs. Tracy Williams
They go technical to start but it’s too early for Williams to get in his crossface. The cross armbreaker is broken up as well and it’s Yuta grabbing a German suplex. Yuta ties up the legs and forearms away but Williams slips out. A belly to back suplex rocks Yuta but he’s right back with the strikes in the corner. The double arm DDT onto the top sets up a brainbuster and Yuta is down again. The crossface still doesn’t work and Yuta is back up with an Angle Slam. A dragon sleeper with Williams’ arms tied back is enough to give Yuta the win at 5:11.
Result: Wheeler Yuta b. Tracy Williams – Dragon sleeper (5:11)
Darius Martin is glad that he has a friend in Action Andretti, who knows what it’s like to deal with numbers. The challenge to the Kingdom is on for next week.
Katsuyori Shibata/Alex Coughlin vs. Workhorsemen
Drake won’t shake Shibata’s hand to start so Shibata starts with Henry instead. They go to the mat for a quick standoff and Shibata blocks an early Penalty Kick. Drake adds a headbutt to Shibata and it’s off to Coughlin to give Drake a belly to back. Another suplex drops Coughlin though and a Vader Bomb from the middle of the ropes crushes Coughlin again.
Henry comes in and goes technical with Coughlin, who starts while sitting down and manages to grab a suplex and stand up while holding Henry in the air. It’s off to Shibata, who tries a sleeper but can’t get anywhere. Drake breaks it up with a chop to the back so Shibata sleepers Henry again,, with Drake breaking it up again. A kick to the back/Downward Spiral combination plants Shibata but Coughlin makes the save. Coughlin takes Drake outside and it’s the Penalty Kick to finish Henry at 8:46.
Result: Katsuyori Shibata/Alex Coughlin b. Workhorsemen – Penalty Kick to Henry (8:46)
Post match Coughlin says he wants the Pure Title.
Willow Nightingale vs. Little Mean Kathleen
Nightingale slams her down to start but gets sent into the corner for some running stomps. Back up and Nightingale runs her over, setting up a Stampede for the pin at 1:47.
Result: Willow Nightingale b. Little Mean Kathleen – Stampede (1:47)
Stu Grayson vs. Tony Nese
Mark Sterling, Josh Woods and Evil Uno are here too. Grayson starts fast and sends him outside, only to have Sterling’s distraction let Nese get in a cheap shot. Back in and Nese hits a running uppercut in the corner before a hard kick to the face gets two. Another forearm wakes Grayson up and a swinging Rock Bottom gives him two more. A fireman’s carry spun into a faceplant gives Grayson another near fall but Nese sends him face first into the buckle. Back up and a Pele kick rocks Nese, setting up Knightfall to finish for Grayson at 7:14.
Result: Stu Grayson b. Tony Nese – Knightfall (7:14)
Post match the Righteous come out to stare down the Dark Order.
Post break the Righteous says the Dark Order is about power but now it’s like a shell of itself. Vincent has the keys to Grayson’s freedom.
Ashley D’Amboise vs. Athena
Non-title Proving Ground match, meaning that if Ashley can survive ten minutes or win, she gets a title shot. Ashley dropkicks her down to start so Athena dropkicks her a few times to take over. The Crossface is broken up and Ashley gets two off a cradle. Something like a leg lariat gives Ashley two and a Samoan drop gets the same. Athena isn’t having that and dropkicks her off the top for a big crash. A clothesline on the floor drops Ashley again and the running knees against the steps make it worse. Back in and the O Face finishes for Athena at 5:09.
Result: Athena b. Ashley D’Amboise – O Face (5:09)
Post match Athena throws her to the floor.
Post break D’Amboise isn’t happy with the lack of honor so Athena jumps her again. Athena wants better competition and sends D’Amboise face first into the title.
Ring Of Honor World Title: Claudio Castagnoli vs. Metalik
Metalik is challenging and gets taken into the corner to start. A legsweep drops Metalik but he kicks Castagnoli into the corner without much trouble. Castagnoli gets sent outside, where he cuts off a dive and drops Metalik hard onto the apron. The neck crank goes on back inside and there’s a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker for two. Metalik fights up and slugs away but Castagnoli sends him into the corner for the stomping. Back up and Metalik manages a kick to the head and a springboard hurricanrana.
A pop up Sling Blade drops Castagnoli again but the Metalik Driver is blocked. Code Red gives Metalik two more but a moonsault only hits raised boots. Castagnoli hammers away in the corner until Metalik kicks him in the head again. The rope walk elbow is cut off though and a Crossface has Metalik in trouble. That’s broken up so Castagnoli blasts him with the uppercut. The Neutralizer retains the title at 11:59.
Result: Claudio Castagnoli b. Metalik – Neutralizer (11:59)
Results
Mark Briscoe b. Ari Daivari – Jay Driller
Skye Blue b. Kelly Madan – Skyfall
Darius Martin b. Mike Bennett via DQ when Matt Taven interfered
Wheeler Yuta b. Tracy Williams – Dragon sleeper
Alex Coughlin/Katsuyori Shibata b. Workhorsemen – Penalty Kick to Henry
Willow Nightingale b. Little Mean Kathleen – Stampede
Stu Grayson b. Tony Nese – Knightfall
Athena b. Ashley D’Amboise – O Face
Claudio Castagnoli b. Metalik – Neutralizer
Please share this story on Facebook! Help us spread the word!
You can find more from Thomas Hall at kbwrestlingreviews.com, or check out his- Amazon author page with 30 wrestling books.
Get the LATEST RUMORS! Click to sign up for the exclusive Wrestling Rumors daily newsletter.