ROH TV recap & reactions (May 18, 2023): Fight Without Honor

Sometimes in Ring of Honor, there is no honor. That is especially the case in a Fight Without Honor. The feud between the Kingdom and Top Flight & Action Andretti has escalated to the point that respect must be earned through combat. The grudge match was the main event for week twelve in the ROH TV revival (May 18, 2023).

Matt Taven and Mike Bennett competed against Darius Martin and Action Andretti. A Fight Without Honor means no rules, anything goes!

Weapons of choice were chairs, trashcans, pipes, chains, ladders, tables, and Maria Kanellis.

Maria also played a role in the finish. The tide turned when Bennett accidentally clobbered his wife.

Andretti struck with a low blow to Taven. The babyfaces executed a double slam onto an open chair. Bennett stumbled back into the ring. He was an open target for strikes and defiantly asked for more. Martin and Andretti obliged. Andretti took flight off a ladder for a Doomsday Device. Martin pinned Bennett for the win.

Afterward, the Kingdom held out their hands, even though, the Code of Honor handshake was not in effect. Martin and Andretti accepted the sportsmanship, and respect was earned.

ROH TV quick results for the rest of the card:

Willie Mack was impressed by Ninja Mack. Respect was shared, and they agreed to get something going together. The Mack attack is back.

Fenix defeated Gringo Loco. High-octane opener. Fenix survived a flying destroyer to rally with a reverse rana and rolling cutter for victory.

Peter Avalon and Ryan Nemeth are fashion boys with big glasses and juicy asses. The same can’t be said about the Iron Savages. This promo hyped the tag team match later in the show.

Bonus clip from before the show: Nemeth and Dasha Gonzalez are new friends.

Katsuyori Shibata agreed to defend the ROH Pure Championship against Alex Coughlin. That bout will take place in two weeks.

Willow Nightingale defeated Madi Wrenkowski. Willow dodged an axe kick from the NWA women’s tag champ and countered with a big pounce. Willow closed with a gutwrench powerbomb. Willow has won six in a row in ROH. Enjoy this clip of Caprice Coleman freestyling to Willow’s entrance tune.

Iron Savages defeated Peter Avalon & Ryan Nemeth. The Iron Savages are working a new tweak on their gimmick with iron referring to the gym. Jacked Jameson is their hype man. The savages flattened the Wingmen on an electric chair splash to win. Peep this comedic muscle press kick-out on Avalon’s cover.

Christopher Daniels & Matt Sydal defeated Zack Clayton & Cole Karter. Hot tag to CD. Teamwork strikes put Clayton on the mat for the Best Moonsault Ever. Win!

Lady Frost defeated Miranda Alize. Lady Frost countered the Lucha Baddie’s aggressiveness with a cartwheel slam. Frost finished with a twisting moonsault.

Angelico & Serpentico defeated Cheeseburger & Eli Isom. Luther booted Isom on the outside. Angelico twisted Cheeseburger’s legs into a pretzel for the submission win. Angelico’s setup to the finish was very cool.

NJPW World Television Championship: Zack Sabre Jr. retained against AR Fox. Sabre worked his ground game to trap Fox in a stretch muffler variation. Afterward, Sabre ran his mouth about being the best TV champ in the business. Samoa Joe took issue and requested a fight. Christopher Daniels and Matt Sydal interrupted trying to get a title shot for Sydal. Sabre proposed a tag match instead. Sabre & Joe versus Daniels & Sydal. If Daniels or Sydal can beat one the of the TV champs in that match, then they get a title shot. (Full details here.)

Gates of Agony defeated Dalton Castle & The Boy. Muscle power was stronger than peacock power. Hot tag to Castle. Prince Nana caused a distraction for Kaun to execute a gutbuster. The Gates of Agony hit a double slam on the Boy for victory. Commentary questioned if the Boy was the legal man.

The Workhorsemen & Shane Taylor defeated Schaff, Ricky Gibson, & Eddie Pearl. The winners roughed up the competition, and Taylor ended the contest with a package piledriver. (We need a promo explaining why Taylor is suddenly palling with JD Drake and Anthony Henry.)

The Righteous want to be friends with Stu Grayson. They just need one chance to prove it. Vincent perceives the Dark Order as holding Stu Grayson back on a leash. Evil Uno had enough. Stu stepped in. Nobody speaks for him. Stu agreed to give the Righteous their one chance.

Mercedes Martinez defeated Ashley D’Amboise. D’Amboise emptied her offensive arsenal, but Martinez was too tough to put away. A curb stomp paved the way for a dragon sleeper.

---

This episode of ROH TV is par for the course in its studio tapings. The show is not much in terms of a television program with angles, however, it did deliver entertaining matches. A handful of bouts were worthy of being aired on the Dynamite level. The top watch list is Zack Sabre Jr. versus AR Fox and the Fight Without Honor between Matt Taven & Mike Bennett and Darius Martin & Action Andretti. The NGWP TV title bout was a very cool clash of styles, and the main event was fitting for a feud ender with story callbacks throughout the match. My third pick was a perfect blend of comedy and action with Dalton Castle & The Boy versus the Gates of Agony. It was funny within the natural rhythm of the fisticuffs.

The up-and-comer alert goes to the Iron Savages. I wasn’t a fan of the switch from Bear Country. At first, the new gimmick was in name only. Now, Boulder and Bronson are finding their groove by embracing the muscleman routine. Jacked Jameson adds a dash of energy. They are not a fully formed product yet, but I think this wackiness can get the ball rolling for the Iron Savages to build momentum.

BONUS!

ROH posted the Sabre versus Fox bout in full for free viewing.

Share your thoughts on the latest ROH TV episode. Who were the standout performers?