ROH TV (Episode 128) Review – 08.07.25

Welcome back to Ring of Honor TV, exclusively on Honor Club at WatchROH.com. Last week on Episode 127, Bandido successfully defended the ROH World Title against Adam Priest, Hologram and Ishii defeated MxM Collection, Xelhua defeated Virus in a Pure Rules Match, Blake Christian tapped out Jimmy Jacobs with Vanilla Choke Zero, and Gringo Loco defeated Joe Cruz.

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

Proving Ground Match: Bandido (ROH Champion) vs. Gringo Loco:
Two weeks ago on ROH TV, Gringo Loco lost a Proving Ground Match to Nick Wayne, so of course he gets to have a go at Bandido. I guess a win over Joe Cruz is highly valued. Looks like they’re still taped from Casa Bonita, so I guess I understand the “use the hometown guy” gimmick, but my complaints still stand. The Bandido/Hechicero program is briefly mentioned.

Code of Honor ADHERED TO. They trade strikes immediately. UGLY transition into the corner from Loco setting up a head-scissors from Bandido. Bandido gets sent to the floor and Loco follows him out with a tope con hilo. Back inside, Loco counters a spinning head-scissors with a face-buster and comes off the ropes with a clothesline for a two count. Bandido flips out of the first Powerbomb attempt and counters a second with a hurricanrana into a pinning combination for two. They fight on the ropes and Aubrey Edwards doesn’t even bother trying to count. Loco wins the battle, knocking Bandido in position for a split-legged moonsault. Bandido brings up a boot and fights out of the corner, hitting Loco with a corkscrew body press. Loco gets his jaw knocked into next week with the GTS, treated like a transition move. Loco cuts off Bandido’s climb to the top rope and we get a reverse Spanish Fly for a near-fall. Bandido avoids a moonsault and drops Loco on his head with a crucifix driver and the Frog Splash finishes at 5:41. I liked Loco vs. Joe Cruz more last week, surprisingly. This was just moves for the sake of moves, and some not looking too smooth.

Hype package on Mistico, which feels like it should lead into HIS match tonight, but nope, we’re jumping into something entirely different…

Jay Lethal & Satnam Singh (w/ Karen Jarrett) vs. Hunter Holdcraft & GPA:
I forget Singh is still a thing with AEW/ROH. In all the weeks I’ve covered, I think he’s been on the show once, and it was a while ago, while Lethal is just a body to fill a spot and be a veteran leader. Karen Jarrett as a smiling babyface manager to a goofy Satnam Singh is just… no.

Lethal and Holdcraft start and no handshakes are offered. Lockup and Lethal grabs a headlock. Whip to the ropes and he puts on the brakes to strut. Holdcraft with a hip toss, but Lethal lands on his feet and connects with a dropkick. GPA attacks from behind to help Holdcraft hold control of the action. Lethal fights out of the corner and despite the begging from GPA and Holdcraft tags in the One-in-a-Billion. He no-sells strikes from both men and runs through them with a shoulder block. GPA and Holdcraft get the big meaty slap across the chest that would piss off Bret Hart. Holdcraft is repeatedly slammed from a goozle position. Lethal clips the knee of GPA and Singh hits a clothesline. Lethal Injection clears Holdcraft and Singh finishes GPA with a Chokeslam at 3:17. Fun little squash match to mix up the action.

Lee Johnson and Blake Christian are standing by, bragging about the success they’ve had recently, and want to make the jump to the next level for the Tag Team Championship. I swear we get the same promo from every team, and yet we’ve seen one title defense in the last 3 months.

Athena & Billie Starkz vs. Missa Kate & Laynie Luck:
Wow, we’re getting the ROH Men’s AND Women’s Champion on the same show! Athena is getting regular TV time on Dynamite (and maybe Collision, I don’t track that show anymore) as she gets ready to challenge Toni Storm and Billie Starkz is her simp, and I think this is the first time I’m covering her on these ROH recaps.

Code of Honor adhered to… OH, NEVERMIND, the heels pop Kate and Luck across the jaws. Athena sends Luck out of the ring and into the guardrail while Starkz busts out the most obvious leg slap strike. Kate gets rocked in the corner with some tandem strikes and Athena plays to the crowd. Kate gets a few strikes in and scrambles to her corner, tagging in Luck. She lays it into Starkz and hits the Spicolli Driver for a two-count. Athena with a distraction, allowing Starkz to snap Luck backwards across the knee. Luck cuts off the climb to the top rope and sets up for a super-plex, but Athena interrupts, planting Luck with a Powerbomb. Starkz comes off the top with a senton splash, and Athena taps out Luck with her modified Koji Clutch at 2:16. Not much to say about this one. They must like Luck a little bit, since she got to do stuff while Kate was chewed up like a $2 steak.

Last Saturday on AEW Collision, Kyle Fletcher defeated Dustin Rhdoes for the TNT Championship, and Dustin will require double-knee replacement surgery! KEEP ON STEPPIN’, DUSTIN!

The Dark Order vs. Volador Jr., Magnus, and Rugido:
Always a good time to see the Dark Order in action, and instead of the Frat House, they’re opposite some of CMLL’s best (not my words! I don’t know anything!). During the entrance for the CMLL squad, Caprice Coleman, after hearing of Dustin’s medical situation says “I think the trios titles may be in question”, as if we’re going to remember they exist again unless they’re working a show in Texas. Dark Order has their Supercard of Honor gear, which means Uno is back to his tights and vest instead of the dress shirt. For a guy named EVIL Uno, he’s surprisingly nice.

Alex Reynolds and Rugido start, jockeying for control until Rugido takes Reynolds over with a fireman’s carry, followed by a shoulder block. They hit the ropes for an extended sequence (think along the lines of an International). Reynolds ends up on the apron and traps Rugido in the ropes with a modified octopus stretch. Reynolds with a flying body press for two. Magnus bulldozes Reynolds with a shoulder block, but the same tactic doesn’t bother Uno. Magnus drops for some push-ups and tries it again, but Uno stands strong and takes him down with a spinning head-scissors. The rudos just start to triple-team Uno and Rick Knox doesn’t bother to restore order. They go for Uno’s mask, unsuccessfully. Uno takes advantage of Knox’s inability to do anything right, tricking him into catching Magnus’ foot for an assisted neck breaker. Silver runs wild with kicks to the chest, followed by a snap German suplex. Another 3-on-1 falls apart with Dark Order clearing the ring and making it a 3-on-1 of their own. Silver is pulled out before he can hit the Crucifix Windmill. Reynolds gets taken out with a pop-up dropkick. Combo Butterfly suplex and flying elbow to Uno, and Volador finishes with a magistral cradle at 6:22. I don’t want to say Volador is terrible, but as far as his ROH work goes, he gives the impression of a guy who was told he needed to stop by the office on his day off.

Advertisement for ROH Death Before Dishonor, coming August 29th! No, I will not be reviewing that one live. Expect it on a 24-hour delay.

QT Marshall shows up to respond to Paul Walter Hauser. As long as Hauser doesn’t brace for impact 3 hours before a spot is completed, I’ll be fine with whatever dumb match they put together… Wait, what am I saying?! WE DON’T NEED QT MARSHALL ON TV!

Mistico & Mascara Dorada vs. Blake Christian & Lee Johnson:
I didn’t think I’d be that interested in seeing Blake Christian every week, but here we are. Blake Christian and Lee Johnson need a tag team name, considering they are joined at the hip and have matching gear. Mistico’s entrance music is chasing a high we’ll never see since we saw Dynamite at Arena Mexico.

Christian starts by picking the leg of Dorada. They both attempt a spinning head-scissors, and both end up on their feet. Dorada offers a handshake and Christian plants a boot to the midsection in response. Dorada escapes the corner and rattles Christian’s brain with a Pele Kick. Mistico tagging in has Christian getting the F out of there, tagging Johnson and hopping to the floor. Mistico avoids Johnson’s sliding forearm and comes off the ropes with a head-scissors, followed by a somersault twisting arm drag. Mistico drop toe hold and Dorada comes off the ropes with a basement dropkick. Vanilla Shotty slide into the ring to prevent the dive spot, but get caught with synchronized handspring elbows and are later victims of synchronized tope suicida.

Back inside, Christian gets the blind tag and Dorada is hung out to dry. Christian comes off the top with a splash across the back and Dorada is sent into the guardrail. Back in the ring, a snap mare and basement dropkick gets a two-count. Vanilla Shotty takes turns putting the boots to Dorada and wow, the referee is trying to get things under control. There’s an awkward spot where Mistico tags in, and I’m not 100% sure if that was intended. They throw together a quick sequence, then Dorada tags back in and is immediately back on defense. Dorada gets launched into a sit-out Powerbomb from Johnson and Christian whiffs a twisting tope on Mistico. Dorada cuts off Christian with an enzuigiri but Christian lands on his feet on an attempted super-canrana. We get out obligatory SUPER KICK PARTY, which transitions to the GET YOUR SH*T IN SEQUENCE. Spanish Fly! Crucifix Driver! Tornado DDT! Dorada hits Christian with the Fosbury Flop and Mistico with a flying body press on Johnson. Mistico with a spinning head-scissors into the Fujiwara and Johnson taps at 10:01. I’ll hold off on being too critical on my complaints on stuff like the “Get Your Sh*t In Sequence”, because you’re using Mistico and you’re not wasting the spot on Gringo Loco at least. Other than that rough possibly-accidental tag sequence, the action was fast and furious. Lucha style work isn’t my favorite, but I appreciate the effort put into pulling it off.

Final Thoughts: Mixed bag episode this week. I didn’t need to complain about too many tired old AEW Dark leftover acts, but I don’t need a weekly helping of Gringo Loco when you have like 40 other people you can put on the card. I enjoyed the Main Event, but was disappointed by the Trios Match (and not just because of Dark Order jobbing, though I wish Uno took the pin from someone that looks like they care to be there). Also… that Women’s Pure Title Tournament. How ‘bout it?