Want more wrestling news, rumors, and results? Be sure to visit PWInsider.com and PWInsiderXtra.com.
ROH Episode 55: Did Athena Meet Her Match?
Despite starting 40 minutes late we did have a brand new episode of ROH on deck and we are now four weeks away from the first ROH pay-per-view of the year! With the lack of champions appearing and the lack of real storylines going into that show, it may be hard to believe, but yes we are four weeks away.
Diamante vs Billie Starkz:
At points, this match was slow and took a while to get going, but when it did get going it did not miss. Diamante has had an amazing showing within ROH and I truly believe she will hold this new women’s title at one point within the next year. However, with all of Starkz's momentum, there was no way she would lose this one.
Winner: Billie Starkz
Aaron Solo vs Lee Johnson:
This was a fun one, especially since Johnson got his hometown win in Georgia. Johnson is now on a seven-match win streak and they hinted at Johnson possibly challenging for the ROH World Title at the pay-per-view. Honestly, if this means that I get a World Champion on TV every week I am perfectly okay with Johnson winning.
Winner: Lee Johnson
Robyn Renegade vs Kiera Hogan vs Leyla Hirsch vs Lady Frost:
I am very tired of seeing four-corner survival matches that do not lead to anything and just happen to get matches on the TV show. To me, this is where ROH can build storylines that we can follow every week, but who am I? Great showing by all four women, however, Hogan gets the win.
Winner: Kiera Hogan
Baby Boys Promo:
Garrison says that he and Karter have to try their best because Kanellis set up this match for them. Kanellis says that they are so young and that when she was their age she felt as if people owned her career and they have to prove that they are in charge of their destiny. Kanellis says after Garrison had that Collision match against Adam Copeland, they have not had a match on Collision since because Garrison lost. Kanellis says that Orange and Trent are jealous of them being so young which is why they are here in ROH tonight, and they have to prove that they are one of the best tag teams in the ROH Tag Team Division.
ROH Women’s World Championship Proving Grounds Match:
Athena vs Aisha:
It has been a while since we have seen a Proving Grounds Match on ROH. Unfortunately like all of these involving the Women’s World Champion, this was a squash. After the match was over Athena attacked Aisha and bashed her head into the steel steps two times in a row. Athena cut a promo questioning that Aisha was the best thing Atlanta had to offer the champion. She proclaims herself as the forever ROH Women’s Champion and the main event of ROH. She says that she gives everyone opportunities and she is the reason why ROH is where it is today. Even including that the ROH Women’s Roster is so scared of her the whole roster lined up for a second-place tournament. She lays up an open challenge for anyone in any roster because she wants real competition for Supercard of Honor. Hikaru Shida comes out to confront Athena and points to the ROH Women’s Championship. Looks like we have one match set for the pay-per-view.
Winner: “And Still” Athena
Top Flight (Dante and Darius Martin) & Action Andretti vs The Iron Savages (Jacked Jameson, Boulder, and Bronson):
Before the match started Andretti took the microphone and said that he and Top Flight can have a good time in Titty City and everywhere he goes he is always hydrated. He challenges Jameson to a chug-off between the two of them and Andretti wins. Andretti and Top Flight are such a great team and I believe they will be your next six-man/trios champions after they beat BBG.
Winners: Top Flight (Dante and Darius Martin) & Action Andretti
Lee Johnson Promo:
Johnson says that he is here to take over and he is enjoying all of the success that he has had so far in 2024. He welcomes us to the Shotty era as he walks off with a huge smile on his face.
Nick Comoroto and Jacoby Watts vs The WorkHorsemen (Anthony Henry and JD Drake):
The sad part about this match is due to Henry’s injury he suffered this week this is the last time we will see this team until Henry is cleared. This was a quick match as The WorkHorsemen got the win. After the match, Watts called Comoroto his brother and they shook hands, looks like Comoroto might have found a new partner.
Winners: The WorkHorsemen (Anthony Henry and JD Drake)
Lance Archer vs Darian Bengston:
This was a squash, but at least Jake Roberts showed up to manage his client.
Winner: Lance Archer
Taya Valkyrie Promo:
Valkyrie says the boys are a joy and she is having so much fun with them. Castle comes and asks where they are as he starts searching the arena for them. Valkyrie starts saying all of their favorite things while Castle keeps looking for them. She says that Castle is not fit to have the boys and he gets upset. Valkyrie calls for security while she tells Castle The Boys are getting TV ready with Johnny, something that Castle will never be.
Mercedes Martinez vs Abadon:
I think Abadon should have made it a little further in the tournament meaning that ROH finally knows what to do with them, but since the finish was not clean it looks like this feud is just getting started. Diamante helped Martinez get the advantage and advance in the tournament.
Winner: Mercedes Martinez
Slim J vs Jack Cartwheel vs AR Fox vs Komander:
This was more entertaining than the Women’s Four Corner Survival match we saw earlier in the night, but I have the same thoughts about both. To me, it truly is lazy booking especially when you have so many talented people on the ROH Roster that you can use in storylines every single week. Komander gets the win as he continues his huge undefeated streak.
Winner: Komander
Eddie Kingston Promo:
No, this is not a drill our World Champion did make an appearance on the show. Kingston says that with Supercard of Honor coming up he wants to give Mark Briscoe his rightful shot at the ROH World Heavyweight Title that he should have gotten before his injury. Since it will be near Briscoe’s hometown Kingston invites the entire family and he wants Briscoe to give his best shot of taking the world title away from Kingston.
Orange Cassidy and Trent Baretta vs Cole Karter and Griff Garrison:
Welcome back to ROH Orange Cassidy. Kanellis interrupting the best friend's hug to have her baby boys take advantage was hysterical, she is great at this character stuff. This was a fantastic main event. This was the segment the crowd was into the most throughout the whole episode and both teams had great chemistry. After the Best Friends finally get their iconic hug this gives them the momentum to get the win. After the match, Serpentico and Angelico come out to attack the Baby Boys, but the numbers game with Maria leads them to get beaten down until Orange and Baretta come back out to make the save.
Winners: Orange Cassidy and Trent Baretta
Overall:
One of the things that was unfortunate was that this episode started late as this is the third time Honorclub has had technical difficulties preventing an episode from not airing at the seven o’clock start time. This was also a fairly long episode and nothing got accomplished. Although it was great we got to see Kingston in some form on ROH TV which was the first time since December of 2023, it would have been better to see him in the ring instead of a pre-tape promo. With four weeks to go, we had two matches announced, so I will take the minor victories where I can.
If you enjoy PWInsider.com you can check out the AD-FREE PWInsider Elite section, which features exclusive audio updates, news, our critically acclaimed podcasts, interviews and more by clicking here!
Bang On Casino
