ROH TV Episode 117 – May 23rd, 2025

ROH TV Episode 117 – May 23rd, 2025

Is it really ROH TV when it’s not on an actual TV Network? Sorry, sorry… We’re skipping the long-winded introductions. I took ONE nap, and all the good positions were taken. It was either recaps of this or Collision, and there’s not enough Knicks merchandise in the world to get me to spend 2 hours a week watching that (Dear AEW fans: I’m kidding. Please do not bring the torches and pitchforks to my home. I slag on WWE too).

We open with Athena addressing the home audience, letting us know that her protege, Billie Starkz, is signed up for the Women’s Pure Championship Tournament. Wow, a TOURNAMENT? SHOCKED. SHOCKED I SAY. Also, how many damn titles do we need for this dead brand?! Billie is at home studying the tapes of all the greats and Athena says Billie won’t be riding her coattails. She’s gonna have to do it solo, and expects there to be gold around her waist.

Marina Shafir vs. Laynie Luck:
Marina is posting a 2-0 record in ROH this year. Laynie Luck doesn’t even get a hometown introduction, so I’m going to set the over/under for this match at 3:05 for you gambling junkies. Shafir hangs on with the handshake and goes for the arm. Shafir takes Luck to the center of the ring, avoiding attempts at being stacked up. Luck clips the ankles sliding out of the ring, but Shafir cuts her off, trapping Luck in a head-scissors. Back inside, Shafir works the body with rights and bounces off the ropes with a straight foot to the face. Judo throw into a series of pin attempts. Luck takes advantage of Shafir’s overconfidence and locks in an STF. Luck gets a hot sequence of moves coming out of the counter, but the luck runs out and Mother’s Milk (the front choke) secures the victory for Marina at 4:09. I’ve honestly seen way worse from Shafir, and this was perfectly acceptable work. Luck got a little shine, and Shafir kept it simple.

Gringo Loco vs. Blake Christian (w/ Lee Johnson):
Ugh, that pre-match graphic of Blake Christian is one of the worst looks you could possibly have. He looks almost like Pretty Peter Avalon decided he wanted to become a meth dealer. Also, what kind of nickname is VANILLA BABY? Blake Christian is undefeated on ROH TV in 2025, in case you were wondering. Christian attacks Gringo from behind. THIS MAN HAS NO HONOR! Gringo Loco tries getting fancy with a handspring, but Christian takes him over with a flying head-scissors and showboats. Gringo takes over, planting Christian with a slam and coming off the top with a sloppy looking split-legged moonsault. He goes to the top rope again, but this time Christian cuts him off. He drops Gringo face-first across the turnbuckle and hits a tope tornado DDT on the floor. What a heel move, trying to pop the crowd.

Christian spams the strut taunt like he’s trying to juice his Special meter in No Mercy. Gringo hangs on and surprises Christian with a spin-out flatliner. Gringo hits the handspring elbow on the second try, but the comeback is short-lived. Christian takes him off the turnbuckle with a super-sized hurricanrana and comes off the top with a 450 double stomp for a near-fall. We keep getting too cute, setting up a contrived spot on the ropes culminating with a Spanish Fly from Gringo Loco for a two-count. Christian counters the pump-handle piledriver, hits a poison-rana, and finishes with VANILLA CHOKE ZERO (a bridging front chancery) at 8:31. If you like moves for the sake of moves, Blake Christian looked good, but a heel shouldn’t be trying to pop the crowd constantly. Sorry. Your job is to get heat, but I’m an old man yelling at the clouds, I guess.

Names already announced for the Women’s Pure Championship Tournament: Queen Aminata! Serena Deeb! Top Flight’s Leila Grey! Taya Valkyrie! Deonna Purrazzo! And as we found out at the top of the program, Billie Starkz! We follow that announcement with a highlight showcasing the last time Billie Starkz competed in a tournament (For the Women’s World TV Championship). I already forgot they introduced a secondary Women’s Championship on ROH. Here’s another. Might as well add a Women’s Tag Title.

Pure Rules Match: Queen Aminata vs. Allysin Kay:
Aminata, like Shafir and Christian, is undefeated in ROH in 2025. Aminata has shown up regularly for AEW over the years, mostly in an enhancement role, but she’s been getting a bit more shine in the last year or so (feel free to correct me on this). Kay has been around the block, but never officially landed in AEW, just the occasional spot job. She’s often teaming with Marti Belle as The Hex or doing a podcast with The Wrestler Formerly Known as The Bunny.

Kay offers the pinkie instead of a hand for the code of honor. Cute. Lockup, Kay goes for the arm but Aminata counters and hooks a body-scissors, forcing Kay to burn her first rope break (you’re allowed three in a Pure Rules Match). Kay with a hip toss into the arm-scissors. Aminata counters with a stack-up and grabs a crossface, sending Kay to the ropes for a second time. Kay pops Aminata with a closed fist, drawing a warning from the referee. Kay charges into the corner with an avalanche and follows with Scott Hall’s sack-o-sh*t throw. They take the action to the floor, with Kay biting the fingers. THAT’S NOT VERY PURE! OR CLASSY! Aminata turns things around but is cut off as she re-enters the ring. We get an exchange of forearms with both women standing there wanting the other to lay it in. Allysin gets the better of the strikes. Aminata survives a flurry of hammer elbows, knocks Kay silly with by ramming Kay repeatedly into her buttocks, and the Juicy Lock (a octopus stretch) gets the tap out at 6:10. Take away the boo/yay strike exchange spot and I mostly enjoyed this. I think Aminata would be better off getting shine on Dynamite or Collision.

Serena Deeb is standing by with words for Queen Aminata, her 1st Round opponent for the Pure Women’s Championship Tournament. What does she have to show for the last 5 years? Absolutely NOTHING. She’s tired of showing up with a fake smile and pretending to be happy. She’s waiting for her flowers and she’s tired of it. She doesn’t care about the celebrity or social media, just professional wrestling. She knows this title was made for her, and she’s never been so sure of anything until now. She’s done being patient, she will be the first ROH Pure Rules Champion because she’s the professor of professional wrestling. You know, I would’ve liked the promo more if she didn’t have her goofy bedazzled binder in her hands.

We break down the card for AEW Double or Nothing…

The Hurt Syndicate vs. The Sons of Texas for the Tag Team Titles!

Timeless Toni Storm vs. Mina Shirakawa for the Women’s Title!

Nigel McGuinness and Daniel Garcia vs. FTR!

Mark Briscoe vs. Ricochet in a Stretcher Match!

Will Ospreay vs. Hangman Adam Page in the Owen Men’s Finals!

Mercedes Mone vs. Jamie Hayter in the Owen Women’s Finals!

Kenny Omega, Swerve Strickland, The Opps and Willow vs. The Death Riders and Young Bucks in Anarchy in the Arena!

Hechicero, Barbaro Cavernario, and Volador Jr. vs. Atlantis Jr., Fuego, and Neon:
We’ve got a CMLL showcase for our main event this week. FULL DISCLOSURE: I AM NOT TOO FAMILIAR WITH LUCHA LIBRE. I know guys who exit the ring can be replaced legally by one of their partners, and that’s basically the extent of that knowledge for tag team matches, so if I have any complaints that can be pushed aside because of being unfamiliar with the style, then let me know. Fuego and Volador Jr start, with Fuego showing off a series of arm drags. Cavernario and Hechicero try their luck and get sent to the floor as well. Atlantis Jr. comes in and is nailed from behind, allowing the rudos to take control. He avoids a rushing Cavernario and runs wild, taking on all three men by himself. Neon gets the next showcase before getting cut off by Hechicero. The rudos whammy him with a double powerbomb and basement dropkick, but he manages to roll out of the ring, allowing Fuego to come in. I swear, it feels like Hechicero is just standing around in the ring as he pleases and Aubrey Edwards does nothing to get things under control. Atlantis Jr gets triple-teamed while Neon and Fuego are playing dead on the floor.

Atlantis Jr. makes his own comeback (this match is making him look like Superman) and knocks Cavernario so silly he starts doing the worm. A head-scissors sends Cavernario to the floor and Atlantis Jr follows with a tope suicida. Neon and Fuego get in on the fun, dumping Volador and Hechicero before hitting dives of their own. Back inside, Cavernario surprises Atlantis Jr with a hammer-lock DDT for a near-fall. Atlantis counters a springboard with boots to the face, hits a Mexican Destroyer, and finishes with a frog splash at 8:08. Yup, Atlantis Jr. came off like the biggest star in this match. This style of work is so hard to judge for someone who isn’t familiar with the product. I was taken out of the action by the ridiculous leeway the rudos were given without making tags, with Hechicero literally standing in the corner for about a minute while the legal man was in the ring and in control. If you like the style, this was a fun match, and I really liked Atlantis Jr., with Barbaro Cavernario showing a little something to me as well.

Final Thoughts: Only four matches this week, which meant I was given a little extra time to digest everything. It feels like ROH takes their women’s roster a little more seriously, with two matches featured, as well as two solid promos from Athena and Sereena. The style of work is hit and miss, depending on your tastes. I don’t like heels showing off an entire match with flash and crowd popping spots, so I probably enjoyed Blake Christian vs. Gringo Loco far less than others. The CMLL trios showcase is going to be another match that hits differently for people with the style of work brought to the table. I can say without hesitation that Aminata vs Allysin Kay was my favorite match of the night, and shoot me now, but I liked Marina Shafir in her match with Laynie Luck. At 45-minutes and available on YouTube, it’s a fine time killer.