ROH TV (Episode 126) Review – 07.24.2025

Welcome back to Ring of Honor TV, exclusively on Honor Club at WatchROH.com. Last week on Episode 125, Atlantis Jr. defeated Big Shotty despite the best efforts of Blake Christian, Diamante squashed Maya World, Jay Lethal won a hard-fought battle with Michael Oku, and Hechicero handled Angelico quite easily to build him up as the next challenger for Bandido’s ROH World Championship. Oh, and it looks like the Frat House isn’t quite done with the Dark Order. I guess they’re destined to Fight Forever.

Ian Riccaboni and Caprice Coleman are calling the action, unless otherwise noted.

The Outrunners vs. The Workhorsemen:
I’m either going to really love this or really hate it, and this is the first time I get to recap an Outrunners match! I feel honored! Let’s see.. Their names are Truth Magnum and Turbo Floyd? People wanted THIS as the AEW Tag Team Champions?! The Workhorsemen are long-time AEW enhancement guys JD Drake and Anthony Henry. Riccaboni calls this the tag team division’s “finest.” A far cry from AEW’s Tag Team Division circa 2020-21.

Henry wants nothing to do with Magnum’s Mega Powers handshake. I thought we were all having fun? Lockup to the corner and they exchange shoves. Magnum with a slam, followed by a hip toss. Drake in and he wants “the old one” to tag in. They do a posedown, with Drake’s doughboy physique played for laughs. Floyd goes for a slam, but Drake is TOO FAT. The Outrunners work in some tandem stuff, and he still won’t go up. JD Drake is doing way too many spots that involve running across the ring. He’s way too slow to do any of it convincingly, like he’s deliberately in slow-motion. The Outrunners continue running wild with synchronized corner punches. Drake with a blind tag and he ambushes Magnum as Henry leads him in a game of cat-and-mouse. The Workhorsemen workhorse him Magnum over, and the crowd and myself aren’t too interested. Referee Aubrey Edwards misses the tag, allowing for more double-team shenanigans. Floyd finally gets the hot tag, running wild on Henry with rights and slams. TURBO WITH THE SLAM ON THE BIG FAT GUY! Outrunners with their signature double elbow on Drake, and they put Henry away with their high-low powerslam/drop at 9:36. Yikes, JD Drake was awful out there, Anthony Henry was just whatever, and the Outrunners gimmick stopped being funny after about 30 seconds.

We recap last week’s match with Hechicero and Angelico, with Hologram coming out for the save during a post-match attack.

Serpentico vs. The Beast Mortos:
I guess Mercedes Mone doesn’t have the pull to keep Mortos from doing ROH duty, but considering his opposition, we should assume this will be an easy victory to pad his win-loss record. Mortos still represents LFI. I figured Don Callis scooped him up, he has like 8 other random people under contract.

We open with an extended International, with Serpentico tripping Mortos on a drop-down and landing an elbow across the back. Mortos misses a charge, allowing Serpentico to send him to the canvas with a head-scissors and roll him up for barely a one-count. Mortos avoids a flying nothing and sends Serpentico across the ring with a shoulder tackle. Serpentico takes a beating in the corner and a snap powerslam gets a two-count. Mortos continues to be too aggressive and sends himself over the top rope on a missed charge. Serpentico follows him out with a tope suicida and rams him head-first into the post. Back inside, Mortos cuts Serpentico off with another shoulder tackle. Serpentico slithers out of a Chokeslam and hits a Super-Kick and Flatliner combo for a two-count. Mortos with another cut-off, hitting a back breaker and lariat, before finishing with the Destination Hellhole at 4:46. Fun little David vs. Goliath formula match. I know Mortos isn’t a giant, but his body mass is where I’m drawing comparison.

Recap of Dark Order’s victory over the Frat House from Supercard of Honor Zero Hour. We cut to a promo from the Dark Order. They’re not going to rest for winning one and need to prove their consistency. Silver says they promise to show up, kick a$$, and leave. Well, that’s not quite challenging for titles, but set the bar low and you won’t disappoint yourself. Evil Uno says they’re the longest-lasting trio in AEW, and will continue to be because Dark Order is FOREVER. Unlike Hulkamania.

Blake Christian & Lee Johnson vs. David Ali & Isaiah Moore:
OK, so when I first started covering ROH, Blake Christian was not someone I had much interest in, but he’s slowly winning me over. Lee Johnson, on the other hand, has nothing left and would make my cuts list. 5 years of jobbing and we’re still here with zero progress moving up the card, but he’s married to Julia Hart, so I guess he stays employed as long as she sticks around. Moore shows off some flash, but Johnson cuts him off and hits a sliding forearm. Vanilla Baby in for some tandem work, including wiping Ali out from the apron and Johnson hitting him on the floor with a tope con hilo. Why are the smug heels working babyface “pop the crowd” spots? Moore surprises Christian with a Pele Kick and tags in Ali, who shows off the ability to slap his leg on every strike in the most telegraphed manner. Christian cuts him off with a snap dragon suplex and Johnson follows with a standing moonsault. More leg slap kicking and Vanilla Shotty finishes with a combo double stomp and fireman’s carry slam at 3:09. I’m going to complain again that heels shouldn’t work entire matches like babyfaces, but BANGERS, BRO.

We recap Athena and Toni Storm’s recent interactions on AEW programming. I guess that’s my punishment for turning off Dynamite whenever Toni Storm gets near a microphone.

Trish Adora (w/ The Infantry) vs. Aleah James:
I swear, we’re getting to the Fireworks Factory, I mean the ROH Women’s Pure Championship Tournament soon. Shane Taylor Promotions as a whole just feels like a waste of time. I don’t dislike anyone in the group, but other than Lee Moriarty, it doesn’t feel like any of them have much momentum and are just here to pad the card. Code of honor adhered to! IT’S A MIRACLE! Lockup, Adora sends James to the canvas and works the arm. James tries getting fancy with a counter and it doesn’t go well. James avoids a corner charge but a spinning head-scissors is countered with a back breaker. Adora has James all tied up in what should be an impressive looking spot, but it looks way too cooperative to be a devastating move. BREAKING NEWS: Riccaboni and Coleman kinda mention in passing the Pure Rules Tournament that might still happen. Adora with a surfboard while doing the SPLITS across James’ back. Heck of a spot, too bad it wasn’t the finish. James finally strings something together, hitting a head-scissors, double knees and bulldog for a two-count. Adora quickly regains control with a pump kick and snap German suplex. She rattles James’ ancestors with blunt force trauma and a German suplex finishes at 5:50. Trish Adora does some things I really like, but going this long and “playing with your food” actually made some of what they did look poor in execution.

“Smart” Mark Sterling is back with the Premier Athletes. He says that Dustin kicking him in the you-know-where means another loss is scratched from the record books. Daivari says Dustin is too worried chasing his freak show glory days and Nese adds that Sammy is too distracted doing silly TikToks with his wife. Premier Athletes for ROH Tag Team Champions!

We’re treated to the full promo from Nick Wayne on Dynamite, proving that scripted promos are sometimes a good thing.

Proving Ground Match: Nick Wayne (w/ Mother Wayne & Kip Sabian) vs. Gringo Loco:
Nick Wayne is the reigning ROH TV Champion. If Loco can win the match or take Wayne to the 10-minute time limit, he earns a future title opportunity. The last time we saw Gringo Loco on ROH TV, he was doing the job to Blake Christian. I guess if you lose MORE, you have a better chance of securing a proving ground situation. Wayne kicks away the handshake AND spits at Gringo Loco. HE’S A HEEL! Lockup and Wayne with a snap arm drag, followed by some showboating. Gringo with a chain to take Wayne down and hits the taunt button in response for earlier. Gringo Loco another guy who is too slow and fat to be running all over the place and be a convincing professional wrestler at the same time. Mother Wayne with a distraction, allowing Little Nicky to ambush and send Loco into the steps. Back inside, Wayne grabs a chin-lock. Wayne’s strategy in these proving ground matches is really poor. Loco unloads with a pair of clotheslines and springs off the ropes with an elbow. Loco takes forever to climb the ropes and misses a moonsault. Wayne with a roundhouse kick and the Killswitch finishes at 4:55. Kip Sabian is a waste of space. Wayne is definitely a prospect to keep an eye on. Gringo Loco can go back to the bingo halls.

Final Thoughts: I guess it was pretty obvious that I wasn’t a fan of this week’s episode. When SERPENTICO in a quasi-squash is my highlight of the night, we’ve got problems. More dudes who have hung around on the roster way beyond their best-by dates, and I’m starting to feel like a broken record because they keep trotting out more of them! What next, is Nick Comoroto going to make an appearance? Nothing worth checking out this week, unfortunately.