ROH TV live results: Pure Champion Lee Moriarty defends against Angelico
Ring of Honor is back on Honor Club tonight.
Scheduled for the show, ROH Pure Champion Lee Moriarty will defend his title against Angelico.
Ross and Marshall Von Erich will be back in action, as will the Grizzled Young Veterans, Zack Gibson and James Drake.
Vert Vixen will wrestle Julissa Mexa, while Trish Adora goes up against Angelica Risk.
In a Pure Rules match, Rachel Ellering will face Steph De Lander. Juice Robinson will go one-on-one with Anthony Henry of the Workhorsemen.
Viva Van will face Emi Sakura, Diamante will be in action, and AR Fox will go up against Soleil.
Alec Price and Jordan Oliver will also be in action, while Caprice Coleman will “chop it up” with Shane Taylor.
Plus, Zayda Steel will face Sara Leon, and The Kingdom will be in action.
Matches for this week’s episode were taped in Jacksonville, Florida.
Our live coverage kicks off at 8 p.m. Eastern.
ROH HonorClub TV begins with a video package on the impressive 2-year Pure Title reign of Lee Moriarty and brings up his first title defense to kick off this reign, the same man he faces tonight, Angelico.
Lee Moriarty vs. Angelico for the ROH Pure Title
(This was a fantastic opener with zero punches, chops, forearms or kicks in this entire match, just straight top-notch grappling. I’ll keep saying how Angelico is incredibly underutilized, but perhaps the one person even more so would be Moriarty, as I really hope he gets featured more on AEW TV as a singles.)
Both men show they have early counters ready for everything the other threw their way. Moriarty escaping a Full Nelson into a Cravat, which Angelico countered into a head scissors and wrist lock. Leaping kip-up into a counter from Moriarty, who struck a pose mid-submission for good measure. Exchange of leg sweeps lead to the stalemate, with Angelico doing his signature dance. Angelico briefly got almost a Spladle submission into an ankle lock, forcing Moriarty to use his first rope break. Moriarty pump faked a Texas Cloverleaf into the Border City Stretch, as Angelico used his first rope break as well. Angelico got a quick leg submission, which Moriarty countered by going right back to the wrist, snapping at the fingers for good measure, as Angelico used rope break number two. Angelico fought off a gut-wrench, trapped both legs and picked Moriarty up into a standing stack submission. Moriarty rolled through into a Bald Eagle Stretch, forcing Angelico to burn his third and final rope break around 10-minutes into the match.
Angelico wastes no time trapping the arm and hooking a Half Crab at the same time, as Moriarty used his only free limb to use his second rope break. Gator Roll back to his feet, transitioned to a Triangle, which Angelico reversed into a step-over hammerlock, resulting in Moriarty using his third and final rope break. Ian Riccaboni said it’s not often in this title reign that Moriarty has had to use all three breaks. Both men pick up the pace with quick pin attempts, as Angelico rolled through a suplex into a cradle for two. Moriarty slipped through the legs, whiffed getting his feet on the ropes, so he switched to the Border City Stretch and Angelico tapped.
Match Result: Lee Moriarty defeated Angelico to retain the ROH Pure Title
-Lexy Nair is backstage with ROH Champion Bandido & Nick Wayne, as the World Title match for Death Before Dishonor is official, Bandido will defend against Wayne. He scolded Nair for not giving him a proper introduction, while Bandido said it’s nothing without Honor, as he’s been World Champion for over 400 days. Wayne said talent wins titles, not honor, as he’s going to set the record of becoming the youngest ROH Champion of all time. Bandido said fine, Wayne gets his shot, he calls himself The Prodigy, Bandido will show him why he’s The Most Wanted. Wayne told him to keep his head on a swivel.
Viva Van vs. Emi Sakura
(Been quite a while since I’ve gotten to see Sakura, who always delivers some entertaining matches. Van was a good opponent here and put up a admirable fight, hopefully she’ll get more time in ROH to potentially rise through the ranks.)
Sakura wasn’t having the Code of Honor, as she wasted no time attacking Van at the opening bell. Van answered with a snap hurricanrana, briefly stumbled off a top rope arm-drag, eventually found her footing and connected with a spinning wheel kick, forcing Sakura to take a powder, crying to the camera. Van fell for this hook line and sinker, as she was driven into the steps and flattened with a running cross body by Sakura. Back inside, Sakura makes up for the lack of strikes in our opener, lighting Van up before hitting another cross-body in the corner. Sakura played to the crowd too long, as Van rose to her feet and got in shots of her own, including a rolling up kick and top rope shotgun dropkick for two. Van wanted her Ocean Cyclone Suplex, but Sakura escaped into a rolling inverted DDT.
Van avoided Queen’s Gambit into a scissors kick, but Sakura kept getting her shoulder up at multiple one counts. Both exchanged Air Raid Crash & Queen’s Gambi attempts, until Van opted to fire off a back fist, only to run into a wild chop/lariat combo, finally leading to the Queen’s Gambit backbreaker for the victory.
Match Result: Emi Sakura defeated Viva Van
-The Kingdom are backstage busy on their phones using AI to give their answers. While Bustah & Brain want to play tummy sticks with The Von Erichs, they are a new computerized Kingdom, Michael & Matthew and realize (after they hydrate) they can’t spell AI without Grizzled Young Veterans, who are their partners in this 8-man tag later tonight. Gibson walks in with Drake and says they don’t trust AI and they don’t trust The Kingdom, just don’t screw it up. GYV leave before Taven can get a proper answer from his phone, bummed to look up and no one was there.
Diamante vs. Allie Katch
Neither budge off early shoulder tackles and we got a pose-off, until the pace quickens and Katch hit a leaping elbow drop. Diamante trapped the leg in the ropes and spiked Katch with a DDT before firing off cross face forearms. Charging to the corner, Katch was ready with a double stomp, connected with a splash, hip attack and cannonball for a near fall. Both start ramping up strikes, until Diamante got a cazadora Stunner and she delivered a stalling corner dropkick for a two-count of her own. Calling for the end, Diamante wanted a reverse DDT, but Katch was there with a jump kick. Diamante swept the leg off a piledriver counter, hit a Stun Gun followed by One in the Chamber for the win.
Post-match, Diamante kept the attack going with an Ankle Lock, until Queen Aminata hit the ring and ran Diamante off as she tended to Katch. Fully expect that to be a match soon or even at Death Before Dishonor.
Match Result: Diamante defeated Allie Katch
Caprice Coleman Chops It Up with Shane Taylor
Taylor interrupted Coleman early saying he mentioned to Lee Moriarty a while back that what Shane Taylor Promotions does is “gangster stuff” when Coleman knows better, as it’s good business. Coleman really pondered what Taylor said, apologizing for what he said, saying he’s proud of what Taylor & STP has been doing. Taylor said he took Jon Moxley out on three occasions, as no one has taken the fight to the Death Riders the way STP has, it’s what they do, no one can touch them. Coleman asks what’s next, as they’ve been running ROH, taking people from obscurity and now have a new way of life. Taylor enjoys finding diamonds in the rough, as people who comes to him becomes a superstar, a champion, reaching success they dreamed of. Taylor said he looks for heart and conviction, being able to trust they’ll be loyal to their goals. Coleman commends Taylor how he’s able to mentor others, while letting them be true to themselves. Taylor said you can’t let this business change you, the title, the legacy, the money is cool, but he still has to be his father’s son, the person his family raised, his values have to remain. Taylor said they always need to remain true to themselves and can’t afford to lose themselves. These segments are always very compelling, even if they make the heels come off as a babyface in the process.
AR Fox vs. Soleil
(For those unaware, Soleil is the former Reggie & Sidney Akeem, who has popped up a few times now in ROH and delivers the exact kind of matches you’d expect out of him. I think he’s the only person that rivaled Fox and his flips. Hopefully we see more of Soleil on ROH TV down the line and I assume Fox will find his way back into title contention sooner rather than later.)
The athleticism of Soleil to start is incredible, as Fox tried flying to the outside after him, but took a thrust kick for his troubles. Back inside, both trade snazzy Cutter counters into a double kip-up stalemate. Soleil flipped out of a cazadora, hitting a Shining Wizard, landing on his feet in the process, baffling Coleman on commentary how that was even possible. Fox hung-up Soleil in the ropes, pulled him back into a leaping neckbreaker into a hand-stand senton for one. Fox skinned the cat into a corner dropkick, as he slows the pace by working a chin lock. Soleil fights back, as each trade kicks before a double high kick drops both into the reset.
Skywalker Mule Kick from Soleil, who followed with a High Fly Flow for a near fall. Fox rolled through with Soleil into a leaping Cutter, as the leg trap fisherman’s suplex got two, as even Ian Riccaboni initially had no idea what to call it, settling on The Fox Trap. Fox up top, rolls through a 450, Soleil was there with a Helluva Kick, but Fox returned one as well. Soleil backflipped out of a strike into a leaping Cutter for a wildly impressive two. Fox rolled through a dive of his own, as both continue trading Cutters, until Fox cut Soleil off with Lo-Mein Pain and the 450 Splash for the hard-fought win.
Match Result: AR Fox defeated Soleil
-Athena is backstage saying it’s tough being her, dealing with all these desperate hussies, thinking their Gods, calling themselves Forever, when they’ve just been around a hot minute, including Hazuki. Death Before Dishonor, she’s going to something no one expects, she’s going to bet on Hazuki, one quarter, so if she beats Athena, she’ll be a multi-millionaire if she wins the title. Many have tried, but Athena will be the Forever Forever ROH Women’s Champion.
Rachael Ellering vs. Steph De Lander in a Pure Rules Match
(Sometimes Pure matches aren’t always followed by the Rules, as shown tonight by De Lander, who I assume will keep this up as she rises the ranks. I know a match they taped between her & Pure Champion Deonna Purrazzo ended prematurely last month, so hopefully when Purrazzo is cleared, they can run it back for the Title if De Lander keeps stacking wins.)
Shoutout Madison Eagles, who gets a name drop from Riccaboni, bringing up how she had a hand in training De Lander, as well as Robbie Eagles. Within 15-seconds, De Lander backed up to the ropes and burned a rope break, as commentary brings up how she might not be familiar with Pure Rules. Ellering mowed down De Lander with a series of shoulder tackles and low dropkick for the one count. De Lander got up and blasted Ellering with a closed fist, causing the ref Mike Posey to give her only warning. Big time boot caught Ellering for two, as multiple boots and flying uppercut led to a leaping senton as Ellering battled back. Stretch Plum from Ellering, as De Lander used up her final rope break. Both trade suplex attempts with Ellering getting a leg trap variation for two. They back to the corner, as De Lander pulls Posey in the way, Ellering shoved him aside, giving De Lander another right hand and sit-out fireman’s carry for the tainted victory.
Match Result: Steph De Lander defeated Rachael Ellering
-We get a Juice Robinson promo about coming to ROH and wanting a match tonight with Anthony Henry. If you thought Robinson wouldn’t talk about his nipples, you’d be dead wrong, he did almost immediately.
Trish Adora vs. Angelica Risk
Cat and mouse early from Risk, who fired off a big dropkick into the corner, but as she tried leaping off the second, was caught by Adora, who did curls with Risk into a back breaker. High stack Northern Lights got a near fall, as Adora rowed the boat by doing the splits on top of Risk. Heavy forearms crumbled Risk in the corner, as Adora swept out the leg into hip attacks. Risk fought out of a suplex, ducked a lariat into a snap hurricanrana driver and Tiger Feint Kick. Leaping Flatliner connects, but Adora kicked out at two. Adora couldn’t get a backslide high stack, as each trade pin attempts until Adora got a low snap German. Signaling for the end, Adora popped Risk with a pump kick and the Lariat Tubman for the win.
Match Result: Trish Adora defeated Angelica Risk
-Steph De Lander cut a promo backstage saying she’s the best Pure Rules Wrestler in Ring of Honor and Deonna Purrazzo knows that, demanding a title shot already. If Purrazzo is a fighting champion, she’ll put the title on the line, as things about to change, as ROH is SDL. So much for rising the ranks like I mentioned earlier.
Vertvixen vs. Julissa Mexa
(These two ladies beat the crap out of one another, as the crowd were loudly into this. I used to recap AEW Dark back in 2021 and Vertvixen was always one of my favorites who’d pop up, so it’s nice seeing her again on ROH TV. Mexa showed lots of charisma in this and I’d love to continue seeing her featured as well.)
Mexa is a second-generation athlete with her father El Bronco from CMLL. Vertvixen declined the Code of Honor and suffered a rolling leg-lock from Mexa as a result. Vertvixen escaped into some ground and pound, until Mexa responded with a nice gut-wrench suplex. High kick from Vertvixen, who zoned in on the leg, sinking in a Half Crab. Mexa got the ropes, but took an Exploder to the corner, as Vertvixen followed-up with a snap dropkick for two. Both start throwing bombs, until a basement dropkick connects from Mexa. Flying corner clothesline led to a missile dropkick on the mark. Vertvixen tried creating space outside, but Mexa flew out with a somersault Tope as Riccaboni mentioned it reminding him of Homicide. Back inside, Mexa tried a cazadora, but Vertvixen countered into a very impressive Blue Thunder Bomb for two. Both fight up in the corner, as Mexa hit an Avalanche Sit-out Fireman’s Carry for the win.
Match Result: Julissa Mexa defeated Vertvixen
-Nigel McGuinness said life is about timing, the last two times he’s faced Lee Moriarty, under Pure Rules and Ironman Match, he was the better man. If McGuinness can’t beat Moriarty after three attempts, he’ll never wrestle in Ring of Honor again. It’s official, Moriarty vs. McGuinness 3 at Death Before Dishonor.
Since 2022, Ryan has been the Recapper/Reviewer for both AEW PPVs & Dynamite for F4WOnline & the Wrestling Observer. Previously, he recapped AEW Dark from 2021-2022 for PWTorch.