ROH Honor Club #132 Review – 09.04.25

Welcome back to another episode of ROH Honor Club, available exclusively at WatchROH.com. Last week on Episode #131, Mistico, Mascara Dorada and Neon defeated Adam Priest and the Workhorsemen, with a surprise appearance from MJF to build his Title vs Mask Match with Mistico for CMLL Anniversario. Dark Order answered the open challenge of MxM Collection and Johnny TV and got geeked, Beef was squashed by Lance Archer, and there was some other stuff. We also had Death Before Dishonor on August 29th, which I’m sure will be a popular topic of conversation throughout the episode.

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

Athena (w/ Billie Starkz) vs. Diami
Athena retained the ROH Women’s Championship in a hard-fought contest with ROH Women’s Interim TV Champion Mina Shirakawa, and has reached 1,000 days as the title holder. I’d say I’m impressed, but it’s a title on a paywall promotion that barely gets views, so it’s not like Roman Reigns surpassing Pedro Morales by holding a title for 3+ years. No entrances shown, nor are the introductions, so I don’t know the opponent to start, filling it in later. Athena gives her a little shine before cutting her off with a boot as she comes off the middle turnbuckle. The action spills to the floor, where Diami makes another push, only for Athena to cut her off, send her back in the ring, and finish with the Koji Klutch finishes at 2:09. Just a squash match. I’m sure we won’t see Athena in action again for like 2 months.

Highlights from Death Before Dishonor, but edited in a way that doesn’t really showcase anything, but throws everything together so nothing really stands out. We follow that with a promo from Bandido, who says the victory was for all the people who stood by him, and he will continue to put his heart into every title defense.

Swirl vs. Thomas Heim & Joe Alonzo:
Yup. “Vanilla Baby” Blake Christian and “Big Shotty” Lee Johnson are officially identified as Swirl on social media platforms. Whenever I think of the Swirl, I’m reminded of Jerry Seinfeld’s sexual prowess. Vanilla Shotty was RIGHT THERE, and while it’s not gold, it doesn’t sound as silly as “The Swirl.” Ebony and Ivory over here were victorious at Death Before Dishonor, putting away The Kingdom in one of the weaker matches of the night.

Johnson and Alonzo trade side headlocks and head-scissor counters. Alonzo unloads with forearms in the corner, but Shotty cuts him off as we hype his match with Bandido tomorrow night on YouTube! Extended crisscross sequence ends with Shotty connecting with a dropkick. Christian tags in, hitting Heim on the floor with a basement tope suicida. Dropkick to the back of the head of Alonzo and Johnson with a back suplex for two. Christian misses a dive into the corner, allowing Heim to tag in. He gets to run wild for about 10-seconds before getting cut off. Step-up enzuigiri from Christian, followed by a Buckle Bomb that sees Johnson launch Heim into the double knees of Christian. Flying stomp and Spicolli Driver combo finishes at 2:39. Just a showcase for SWIRL.

Recap of the Triple Threat Tag from Zero-Hour where MxM Collection defeated the Dark Order (and Frat House) for the second time in 24 hours.

John Silver vs. Wheeler Yuta (w/ Marina Shafir):
This is our third match, and all three are from different tapings. Considering the Dark Order have lost almost every match they’ve had since I started covering ROH, I don’t hold out hope that Silver is beating someone associated with the top heel stable of AEW. Yuta flicks off Silver in response to the code of honor. Lockup into the corner and Yuta with a slap across the face. He takes Silver to the canvas and gives him some paint-brush action, and that just makes Silver mad. He sends Yuta to the canvas with one slap to the chest and lays in with a series of kicks. Silver counters a leap-frog with a Powerbomb and flashes the guns. They bring the action to the floor, where Silver continues to punish the chest of the former ROH Pure Champion. Silver allows himself to be distracted by Shafir, allowing Yuta to hang him up across the top rope and follow up with a tope suicida. Shafir gets her shots in, bringing Evil Uno and Alex Reynolds out to protect their boy.

Back inside, Yuta with a senton splash for two. Silver fights out of a chin-lock, but Yuta blocks a suplex and chews on his forehead. I see he’s studied the Book of Mox well, just get the fork out. Silver pops up from a snap German suplex and lays out Yuta with a lariat. STRONG STYLE! FIGHTING SPIRIT! TWO GEEKS TRYING TO BE EPIC! The crowd gets behind Silver as they trade strikes. More stinking strikes from Silver and a brain buster for a near-fall. Now we’ve got JON MOXLEY showing up at ringside. Yuta takes advantage of another distraction and hooks a single-leg crab, but Silver rolls through and counters with a straight jacket crossface. Shafir hops on the apron, only to get yanked by Reynolds. Mox gets involved and UNO WILL HAVE NONE OF HIS SHIT. Mox goes for the mask, but Silver saves, which opens the door for Yuta to hit the Busaiku Knee for the three-count at 8:18. This was OK and ridiculously overbooked for whatever reason.

Trish Adora and Deonna Purrazzo cross paths backstage at Death Before Dishonor. I’m convinced Purrazzo cannot get through one promo without cheesing for the camera.

Lance Archer vs. 2 Locals:
YAY. ANOTHER ARCHER SQUASH. Archer beats on his opponents during introductions, like he’s done for the better part of the last 5 years in AEW/ROH. He smashes them in opposite corners with running elbows. Chokeslam with some stink on it to the first geek and the Blackout finishes the second geek at 1:04. Post match, Archer continues to punish the two jabronis until security comes out, and they take a double chokeslam for their troubles. Sorry, I didn’t catch their names.

Recap of Sammy Guevara’s saga from Death Before Dishonor, where he joined forces with Rush to win the vacated ROH Tag Team Championship. “Everyone’s favorite pillar is Champion again!” Blech. Enough with that garbage. We throw it to a pre-tape from Ross and Marshall Von Erich, who were betrayed by Sammy (and learned that Philly doesn’t like cowboy hats). “They’re doing it for Dustin!” KEEP STEPPIN, BOYS.

The Spanish Announce Project vs. Philly Collins & Marino Tenaglia:
Weird that Serpentico and Angelico are getting another showcase so soon since their last one. Finally, someone adheres to the code of honor as Angelico and Tenaglia start. Lockup and they fight for control of the arm. Serpentico comes off the top with a double stomp across the outstretched arm and SAP with some tandem offense for a two-count. Tenaglia reverses a whip to the corner but is caught with a spinning head-scissors. Serpentico bites off a little more than he can chew, allowing Tenaglia to take control. Collins in for some of their own double-team work, including a bulldog across the knee for a two-count. Combo side slam and elbow drop for another two-count. Is Caprice Coleman making Phil Collins references? Serpentico plants both men face-first and makes the tag to Angelico. He runs wild with clotheslines, including launching himself off the back of Tenaglia to land a super-sized shot on Collins. Whip is reversed, Angelico fakes a leg sweep and lands a kick to the side of the head. Magistral cradle but Collins saves. Yup, they’re definitely squeezing all the Collins songs into PBP they can. Serpentico takes out Collins and Angelico finishes Tenaglia with the ankle lock at 6:36. This was such a nothing-burger match but Riccaboni and Coleman speed-running through Phil Collins song titles was amusing.

Katsuyori Shibata vs. Jordan Oliver:
I wasn’t expecting to see the man who had his brain removed during a surgical procedure, but I guess that’s the great thing about ROH, you get more when you want less. Shibata is holder of the AEW Trios Championship as part of “The Opps”. We adhere to the code of honor. Lockup and Shibata goes to work on the arm. They return to a neutral position for another feeling out, with Shibata going for a sleeper and Oliver scrambling for the ropes. They trade chops, which goes in Shibata’s favor. Shibata unloads with more chops but gets caught off with a dropkick. Oliver acts like a geek before hitting a shitty discus clothesline and even crappier running bulldog. Shibata blocks the German and counters with an Ankle Lock but Oliver makes it to the ropes. Shibata with a basement dropkick and butterfly suplex for two. The sleeper puts Oliver in a defenseless state and the PK finishes at 4:49. Oliver’s over-dramatic selling and sloppy execution was all I took away from this one.

Tomohiro Ishii & Hologram vs. The Premier Athletes (w/ Smart Mark Sterling):
These two teams battled at Death Before Dishonor, with Ishii and Hologram taking home the W. At that show and the following night at AEW Collision, there were teases of a “clone” version of Hologram being programmed, which some have shook their heads at, but like the Russo apologists say, “any storyline is better than no storyline”, and while the format usually fails for US audiences, I’ll still give it a chance before dumping all over it.

Nese and Hologram adhere to the code of honor! SHOCKED! The crowd chants “Athletes Suck”, getting Daivari worked up on the apron. Nese with a side headlock and Hologram counters with a head-scissors. Nese forces a break of a hammer-lock and pops Hologram across the face with an elbow. Crisscross sequence ends with Hologram taking Nese down with a spinning head-scissors and stealing Nese’s taunt. Ishii no-sells Daivari’s strikes, looking like a shriveled old dog. Daivari hurts himself going for a headbutt and Ishii fights off an eye rake. I can’t say I’ve seen that spot done too often. Nese picks the ankle to prevent a dive and sends Hologram into the barricade. Hologram is hung up in the ropes and Nese comes off the top with a guillotine leg drop for two. Hologram teases a comeback, but Nese goes to the eyes and cuts him off with a chin-lock. Hologram fights out of the corner and gets the tag to Ishii. He runs wild for a moment, hitting Daivari with a Saito Suplex and Nese with a suplex for a two-count. Daivari shoves Hologram off the top and hits the Magic Carpet Ride. Ishii back in for the save, wiping out Nese with a lariat. Hologram with a standing moonsault on Daivari. Ishii wipes Sterling off the apron and a Hologram rope-walk 450 splash finishes at 8:38. I enjoyed their match at Death Before Dishonor much more, but the work here was OK, if unremarkable.

Tomorrow Night on YouTube…

Bandido vs. Lee Johnson!
AR Fox and The Kingdom vs The Frat House!
Ashley Vox vs Trish Adora in a PURE RULES Match!
Deonna Purrazzo vs Rachel Ellering in a PURE RULES Match!
Beef and LSG vs. Lance Archer & Hechicero!
Johnny TV vs. Alex Zayne!
Josh Woods vs. Matt Mako in a PURE RULES Match!
Jordan Oliver vs. The Beast Mortos!
Aaron Solo vs. Hologram!
Spanish Announce Project vs. The Premier Athletes!

… WHY?!?!?!?

We close with a backstage promo where Sterling is selling an arm injury, cutting a promo about not being able to pick up his daughter and Riccaboni buying int it. THE F*CK?!?!?

Final Thoughts: It’s ROH. You’ve got a couple of competitive matches between lower/mid-card guys who barely exist on AEW TV, with John Silver vs Wheeler Yuta and Hologram/Ishii vs The Premier Athletes fitting that description this week. We got the same old from Lance Archer, a token appearance from Athena, and a slog of a showcase for SAP that seemed designed to make a bunch of Phil Collins references.