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ROH Episode 45: An Honorable Start to 2024

We have made it to the first ROH Episode of 2024. This episode also marks only the second episode of ROH TV that Athena has missed in the 45 episodes that have aired so far, mind-blowing stat. In this episode, we mostly set up feuds that ROH is going to focus on in the first month of the year, how did they do? Let’s review!

Eddie Kingston Promo:

Eddie says he is proud that he won the Continental Classic. He had never beaten Moxley or Danielson before and being able to beat them meant the world to him. He also says that he would not have believed you if you had told him during the pandemic he would win the New Japan Strong Championship. He has many thank yous to give out, but now is the time to do that, he was thinking about going to the media scrum but he does not like media.

Griff Garrison vs Serpentico:

Garrison is getting his mojo back. This match was fine Angelico and Cole Karter got involved to help their respective partners in this match. In the end, Kanellis’s baby boys benefited more than the team of Serpentico and Angelico.

Winner: Griff Garrison 

Lance Archer vs J.P. Harlow:

Squash… sigh.

Winner: Lance Archer

Peter Avalon vs Dalton Castle:

Castle is still broken as in his entrance he was eating a sandwich. Avalon dominated most of this match playing on the fact of how disappointed Castle is that he didn’t win the TV title at Final Battle. Although dazed and confused throughout most of the match Castle was able to win two matches in a row. He looks into the camera and calls out Johnny TV and says that he is coming for him.

Winner: Dalton Castle

Scorpio Sky and Ethan Page Promo:

Sky says that Page is the most talented man on the ROH roster and he is here to support him in his run to the top. Sky says he is taking a back seat and pushes Page to the front while he watches on like a proud best friend. Page says he has made a lot of sacrifices and now he is ready for anyone and anything that is in his way. Page also declares that 2024 will be the year of the Men of the Year. 

Queen Aminata vs Maya World:

If AEW and ROH have proven anything over the last 24 hours is that 2024 will be the year of Women’s Wrestling. This match got time and was a great back-and-forth. I was impressed with World in her match with Athena a couple of weeks ago, and now that we are seeing Aminata on AEW programming more often she would also be a great fit in ROH. Aminata makes World tap out as she has a successful debut in ROH.

Winner: Queen Aminata

The Infantry (Carlie Bravo and Shawn Dean) vs The Boys (Brandon and Brent Tate) vs Lee Moriarty and Shane Taylor:

Now that we have tag team champions, these teams finally have something to fight over. This match was a little quicker than I expected and I was honestly shocked about the winner. Given how dominant The Infantry has been towards the end of 2023, I assumed they were going to get the win here, but since Taylor pinned one of The Boys the loss did not hurt them.

Winner: Shane Taylor and Lee Moriarty

Griff Garisson and Cole Karter Promo:

Karter dedicated Garisson’s win to Kanellis who was at home with her real kids. Sepernico says that the match was not fair because Karter got involved and challenged Garrison to a rematch. Angelico attacks Karter from behind as Serpentico attacks Garrison. Maybe we will get the tag match next week?

Red Velvet vs Alex Gracia:

Very happy to see Gracia back in ROH, hoping to see her more often. Velvet got the win as she was hinting at the fact that she wants in the tournament for the ROH Women’s TV title. The match was quick, but Velvet looked strong.

Winner: Red Velvet

Leyla Hirsch and Rachael Ellering vs Mercedes Martinez and Diamante:

Ellering took the bullet for Hirsch, now would Hirsch do the same thing? Great storytelling in that. This was a great back-and-forth match, and for those who want those Women’s Tag Titles, this match would be the one for you. Martinez and Diamante get the win as I assume they are going to run this one back later on so the babyfaces get the win. 

Winners: Mercedes Martinez and Diamante 

ROH World Television Championship: Kyle Fletcher vs Willie Mack

Now why is the only title match on this episode, not the main event match? Hopefully, things like this get fixed in the next couple of episodes. As far as the match went this was a fun first defense for Fletcher as Mack can never put on a bad performance. He is insanely over with the crowd and always makes his opponents look strong. Fletcher wins with a huge piledriver to retain his ROH World Television Championship.

Winner: “And Still” Kyle Fletcher

Dalton Castle Promo:

Castle says that he has not slept since Final Battle and Johnny TV has taken everything from Castle and he does not know what to do. Johnny TV says that if he was focused on better things he would be sleeping at night. Taya Valkyrie says that Castle will not smash Johnny TV’s face because that face is her’s as they begin to make out and then they walk away. Lexy Nair says Valkyrie is a wild woman and Castle says don’t agree with them.

Gringo Loco and The WorkHorsemen (JD Drake and Anthony Henry) vs El Hijo Del Vikingo, Lee Johnson, and Komander:

Talk about random six-man teams. At times this match felt rushed, but got the job done as always. It seems as if ROH is trying to build challengers for the six-man titles, by continuing to have six-man tag matches at the main event of the show. The crowd was into all the high-flying spots that went on during this match which was also nice to see. Lee Johnson got the win here, which I was happy about I expect a big year for him on ROH in 2024.

Winners:El Hijo Del Vikingo, Lee Johnson, and Komander

Winners:

Overall:

I was not expecting much from this episode because they taped this one before Christmas, but it did what it needed to do. There were good matches throughout the episode and it seems ROH has some big things up their sleeves in 2024.  Now let’s just hope more of our champions can show up on the episodes besides only two per show.

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