Baltimore, MD – 9.3.2021
Commentary is provided by Ian Riccaboni, Caprice Coleman, Chelsea Green & Lenny Leonard.
The August 31st episode of “Week By Week” featured a first time ever singles match between two ROH stalwarts:
The World Famous CB vs. Dalton Castle
Dak Draper is on commentary and Castle has his baby chicks in his corner. After trading chops, CB tries for La Escalera. Castle pushes him to the ropes and strikes him in the face instead of breaking cleanly. Castle suplexes CB as CB comes off the middle turnbuckle and delivers a knee to the side of his head. Castle tosses CB around before taking a respite to walk up the aisle and back with his baby chicks, gaining momentum for a falling back splash on CB for two. Castle goes to commentary with the chicks. When he gets back, enough time has passed that CB is able to slip out of a deadlift German suplex. Castle however does drop him with a gutwrench suplex, and then walks around the empty aisles and runs around the ring. CB sends Castle shoulder first into the ring post and DDT’s him for two. When Castle grabs a waistlock on the floor, CB propels himself and Castle into the barricades, and then has Castle send himself over the barricades. CB DDT’s Castle on the floor for another two count. Castle intercepts a shotei and knocks down CB with a clothesline. Bang-a-Rang gets Castle the pin at 11:27. Weird match, with Castle doing a lot of stalling for who knows what reason and then just pinning CB after a while. Not the best showcase for either competitor. *½
Now onto this week’s episode!
ROH Women’s Championship Tournament Semifinal Round Match
Trish Adora vs. Miranda Alize
Adora’s early advantage angers Alize, who kicks Adora in the ribs and pummels her on the mat afterwards. She unloads with body shots on Adora’s midsection in the corner. Adora tries a few pinning combinations before picking up Alize onto her shoulders. Alize slides out and gives Adora a back cracker for two. Alize captures Adora on the middle turnbuckle and drills her with a DDT. They fight on the floor, where Adora takes down Alize with chops and Alize throws Adora into the barricades. We return from the commercial break with both women making it into the ring right before the twenty count. Adora does some shoulder damage before pulling down Alize into a rear-naked choke. Alize makes it to the ropes before Adora can fully apply a bodyscissors. Alize trips Adora into the Miranda Rights. When Adora rolls Alize onto her shoulders to escape, Alize drops Adora with a twisting neckbreaker for two. Adora catches Alize coming off the ropes onto her shoulders, fighting off Alize’s elbow strikes to land a Samoan Drop for two. She locks Alize in the Cattle Mutilation. Alize backs Adora to the corner and anapmares Adora into a kick to the back of the head. After a ripcord-knee and a cutter, Alize hits the Drive By and re-applies the Miranda Rights. Adora tries to fight to the ropes, but ends up tapping out at 12:16. This was simply a battle between two women looking for their signature submissions. Most things Adora did were centred on the Cattle Mutilation, and most things Alize did were centered on the Miranda Rights crossface, and ultimately Alize bested her. Both women should absolutely be signed by ROH and made cornerstones of the division, and this was a situation where I was happy to see either competitor advance. ***¼
ROH Women’s Championship Tournament Semifinal Round Match
Rok-C vs. Angelina Love
Love comes into this match with an injured left shoulder which she incurred during her match with Max The Impaler. She turns down Rok-C’s hand shake, and impressively gives Rok-C a couple one-armed slams. Rok-C whips Love to the corner and armdrags her into a Kneecolepsy. Love calls foul when Rok-C looks for a submission on her left arm, but then slaps Rok-C in the face and throws her to the floor. Although Love sends her arm first into the barricades and ring post, Rok-C takes down Love with a side Russian leg sweep inside the ring. Love goes to the eyes and tries a Botox Injection. Rok-C comes back with clotheslines and a Thesz Press. Love pulls Rok-C by her hair into a DDT. Rok-C pulls down Love into a crossface. When Love converts to a pin, Rok-C counters into a bridging Fujiwara armbar and submits Love at 6:44. That makes two Women of Honor champions Rok-C has defeated en route to the finals. I really like that even though Love had an injury, her veteran prowess allowed her to work around it, of course bending the rules in the process, and thus Rok-C’s injury was still hard fought and felt like an achievement. She’s my pick to take it all. **¾
Miranda Alize stares down Rok-C in the ring who stares back. They will meet in the tournament finals at “Death Before Dishonor” on September 12th.
Shane Taylor Promotions (Shane Taylor, O’Shay Edwards & S.O.S. (Kaun & Moses)) vs. La Facción Ingobernable (RUSH, Dragon Lee, Kenny King & La Bestia del Ring)
A brawl between all eight men on the floor occurs before the match, and officials settle things before getting them in the ring. Shane Taylor has not forgotten King costing him the World Title back in February. STP pounce on Dragon Kid when he lands on a suicide dive on Kaun. They respond by Bestia spearing Edwards after he slams Dragon Lee. LFI pummel Edwards on the floor and then throw him back in when Taylor and S.O.S. make their way over. Edwards is able to take down Ring with a Canadian Stampede but is then decked by RUSH with a Superman Punch. RUSH and Taylor trade shots in the middle of the ring. RUSH uses the ropes to hit a German suplex and knee strike Taylor to the floor. A fight between the factions ends up seeing Taylor dropping Lee with the Marcus Garvey Driver back in the ring. Todd Sinclair is pulled to the floor by RUSH so that he cannot make a count. King sneaks in and kicks Taylor low behind Sinclair’s back, pinning him at 7:28. This had a good chaotic feel, one I hope they will replicate when they meet for the Six Man Tag Titles at Death Before Dishonor. I also appreciate that the issue with King and Taylor was not forgotten and hopefully will play into that title match, possibly leading to a high profile singles match in Fall or Winter? **¾
Overall: The episode was all about building up two matches on the PPV, which is ideal considering this is the last episode most will see before the show, and it did get me excited for both of those matches. Sunday should be fun.
NEXT WEEK: The Briscoes face Bandido and Rey Horus, Josh Woods faces Will Ferrara in a Pure Rules Match, and Chris Dickinson and Homicide of VLNCE UNLTD defend the ROH Tag Team titles against Dragon Lee and Kenny King of La Facción Ingobernable!
The latest episode of ROH TV is always free to watch on ROH’s website and FITE TV. It can also be watched via the Honor Club.
For more information on Ring of Honor, check out their official website and the great ROH World.