ROH Honor Club #134 Review – 09.25.25

Welcome to another episode of ROH Honor Club. Last week, we had a bunch of matches, most of them meaningless filler. Ian Riccaboni and Caprice Coleman are calling all the action, and we’re STILL taped from the 2300 Arena.

Bandido and Brody King cut a backstage promo following All Out, having successfully defended their AEW Tag Team Championship. This is the BRODIDO ERA.

Proving Ground Match:
Bandido (ROH Champion) vs. Dralistico (w/ Rush):
If you’re unfamiliar with the Proving Ground stipulations, it’s Non-Title, 10-Minute Time Limits. If the “challenger” wins or survives the time limit, they earn a title opportunity. I don’t know why we’re rewarding a tie, but hey, it’s something to drum up interest. Dralistico represents La Facción Ingobernables, which consists of ROH Tag Team Champions Sammy Guevara and Rush (among others… maybe. Check back in a week or two).

Bandido offers the hand and Dralistico responds with the middle finger salute. Lockup into a go-behind, Dralistico sweeps Bandido off his feet and casually walks across his back before calmly taking a powder. Bandido tries bringing the fight to the floor and gets introduced to the ringside furniture for attempting to push the pace of this limited time situation. Back inside, Dralistico shoots Bandido to the ropes and lays him out with a clothesline. Bandido pops off a series of short rights to the body but runs into a super-kick. Bandido blocks a charge into the corner and takes Dralistico down with a spinning head-scissors, followed by a delayed one-handed press slam for a two-count. Whip reversal to the corner, Dralistico blocks a sunset flip and gets a little help from Rush, but the referee sees the interference and ejects Rush from ringside. Bandido takes advantage of the distraction, rolling Dralistico up for a near-fall. X-Knee from Bandido and Dralistico is finished at 5:19. Solid little sprint, though it felt like they rushed through the finish. I’m not saying DRALISTICO needs an MDK finish, but maybe a little more respect. Post-match, Bandido is attacked by a masked man who quickly reveals himself to be none other than VANILLA BABY, BLAKE CHRISTIAN. Lee Johnson joins in on the fun, but nobody cares about him. Hologram and Kommander come out to make the save, but the damage is already done.

We recap the latest goings on with the Premier Athletes, leading into…

Mixed Six-Person Tag Team Match:
Tony Nese, Ariya Daivari, and Stori Denali vs. JD Ink, El Magnifico, and Rebecca Scott:
Now, is Denali from Ohio State or THE Ohio State? Nese is now claiming she’s 6’5”, which means she’s grown an inch every week since making her surprise debut. I hope they keep the gag going and eventually announce that she’s like 8’3”. Nese tells Ink he needs to shake hands, because “code of honor” or whatever. Lockup and Nese with an easy waist-lock takedown. JD Ink is covered in tattoos, in case you were curious about his name. He’s also a Nightmare Factory “graduate”. Nese with a leg sweep and jumping leg drop. Ink gets to his corner, bringing in Magnifico (a masked man who is about 5’5” tall). Daivari cuts him off immediately and unloads with corner clotheslines. Denali tags in and towers over the little Magnifico, who tiptoes away and tags in Scott. Scott ducks under a lockup and jumps on Denali’s back with a sleeper. Denali backs her into the corner for the escape, but Scott uses her speed to her advantage before getting caught under a boot. Denali with a spinning kick in the corner and chokeslam for the finish at 3:38. Hey, they didn’t over expose her! Good job!

Frat House hype package, including the ECW legend himself… the Blue Meanie! You can play as the Blue Meanie, as well as SIX NEW LEGENDS, in the new DLC pack of Retromania Wrestling (except for Switch, the DLC was delayed because Nintendo).

Pure Rules Match: Deonna Purrazzo vs. Viva Van:
I don’t know why we keep running the women out for meaningless non-tournament Pure Rules Matches instead of getting through the tournament and moving on to our Women’s Tag Team Championship Tournament before we move on with the Continental Classic’s Round Robin Tournament. The ladies adhere to the code of honor. Lockup and Purrazzo with a side headlock takeover. Whip to the ropes, Viva Van hits the taunt button for avoiding a strike and Purrazzo quickly pounces on the arm, sending Van into the ropes for her first rope break. Viva Van fights her way in from the apron and hits a wild spinning heel kick for a two-count. The last 40 seconds could best be described as “sloppy”. Purrazzo cuts her off in the corner and snaps back with the arm. Russian leg sweep for two. Purrazzo blocks a sunset flip and hooks the cross arm bar, forcing the second rope break. Viva Van with a springboard missile dropkick and spinning back fist for two. Purrazzo with a pump kick to send Viva Van into next week, and the snap piledriver finishes at 3:49. It was short, but it felt like Viva Van took way too much of the offense. Purrazzo is the one you’re building up for the tournament, why is she selling for the enhancement talent for 80% of the match?

Recap of Mina Shirakawa winning the ROH Interim Women’s TV Championship at Supercard of Honor.

ROH Interim Women’s TV Championship Match:
Mina Shirakawa (c) vs. Lacey Lane:
Believe it or not, this is Shirakawa’s FIRST DEFENSE of the Interim Title that is being used as a placeholder for a belt defended a whopping ONCE in 2025 itself. Lacey Lane is making her ROH debut, so of course, we’re throwing them in a title match. BANGERS, BRO. Who cares if you’re telling me the title is worthless (I mean, it’s the INTERIM TV TITLE FOR A COMPANY WITH NO TV!!).

Mina gets stuck in the sleeves of her jacket and we adhere to the code of honor. They trade hip throws to start. Shirakawa taunts and surprises Lane with a roll-up for two. Lane returns the favor with some taunting of her own. Shirakawa locks up the legs and does a silly dance before smashing the knees into the canvas. We’re told that Final Battle is “right around the corner”… on DECEMBER 5th. Lane traps Shirakawa in the ropes and connects with a shotgun dropkick for two. Mina cuts Lane off with a kick to the midsection and bounces off the ropes with a knee across the side of the head. Whip to the ropes, Mina spins around the world before hitting a Russian leg sweep for two. Mina sweeps the legs and hits a Cloverleaf/Back Stabber combo. Mina with a really awful looking Figure-Four as Lane scrambles for the ropes. Lane counters a Glamourous Driver with a face-buster for two. Mina sweeps Lane off the top turnbuckle and hits an avalanche sling blade for a near-fall. Lane counters a Figure-Four with a cradle for two. Shirakawa throws a pair of discus forearms and finishes with the Figure-Four at 6:30. Lots of moving parts and “getting your sh*t” in rushed execution. I don’t know if I’d call it good or bad, but it needed to slow down. They had a solid 11-12 minute match there if they would let things breathe.

Recap of Sammy Guevara revealing Rush as his replacement partner, leading into…

ROH Tag Team Championship Match:
Sammy Guevara & Rush (c) (w/ Dralistico) vs. Ross & Marshall Von Erich:
At least the Philadelphia crowd will treat the Von Erich’s like goobers because “this ain’t Texas”. I wish I had some more smart-ass things to say about the Von Erichs, but they’re so bland. Rush knocks Ross across the side of the head as soon as the bell rings and throws him into the guardrail. Marshall is having better luck brawling with Sammy. They bring the action in the ring, with Sammy and Rush giving Marshall a solid 2-on-1 treatment. I don’t think the crowd likes ANYONE in this match. That’s fine because the heels are getting the desired reaction, but the faces have no sympathy. Marshall cuts off the three amigos and tags in Ross. He kicks Sammy mid-air somewhere very unpleasant and comes off the ropes with a sling-blade. Sammy counters a flying nothing with a dropkick.

Rush with a basement dropkick fakeout, instead hitting a straight boot to the face. Ross gets dumped to the floor, where Dralistico is more than happy to get a few extra shots in while Rush distracts the referee. Back inside, Rush misses a charge to the corner and gets wiped out with a standing clothesline. Marshall with the hot tag, running wild with clotheslines. Sammy’s cowboy hat has stayed on for each bump, which is quite impressive. Marshall takes the hat back and the crowd actually cheers! The CLAW~! Is locked in on Rush. Sammy pulls the referee out before he can count three. Dralistico sneaks in during the confusion, hitting a corkscrew kick on Marshall. Rush with a corner shotgun dropkick and Sammy finishes with the Swanton Bomb to retain at 8:30. Perfectly fine match. Nothing special, but they had a story to tell with reasoning behind their

Deonna Purrazzo cuts a promo about how embarrassed she is about her division being obsessed with women showing their A’s, talking about their T’s, and KISSING EACH OTHER. The Infantry interrupts, and she gets all MAGA worked up about their military service, casually bringing up her husband before getting side-swiped by Trish Adora, her scheduled first round opponent. At least they’re doing SOMETHING with these pre-tapes, but boy is Deonna not a good promo.

ROH Women’s Pure Rules Tournament; Quarter-Finals Match:
Olympia vs. Billie Starkz:
Last time I got to watch Billie work, she nearly killed Nicole Matthews TWICE in the span of about 60-seconds. Why does an opening round match have a ONE HOUR TIME LIMIT? Not the most genuine offer of the code of honor I’ve ever seen. Lockup and Billie grabs a side headlock. They fight for control of a wrist-lock. Olympia sweeps the legs, but Starkz is quick to her feet and we’re back to a neutral stance. Billie offers a test-of-strength, switching arms like a jerk until Olympia stomps her foot. Olympia with a top wrist-lock into a front face-lock. Billie tries rolling through and says “F it” and touches the ropes to spend a rope break. Billie continues with the disrespect and gets planted with a Liger Bomb for a two-count. Olympia with a rear mount assault, sending Starkz to the ropes for her second break.

Billie with a Greco Roman stooge eye poke and sends Olympia to the outside. She loads up for a tope suicida and goes SPLAT in the empty pool. Back inside, Olympia with a springboard splash for a two-count. Billie rolls across the ring and lures Olympia into the ropes, getting her to waste a break. Billie hits the tope suicida on the second try and throws Olympia into the guardrail. Starkz punishes the knee, utilizing the ring apron and post to her advantage. Olympia blocks a suplex and counters with an inside cradle for two. Shotgun dropkick knocks Starkz into the corner, followed by the pendulum bronco buster for two. Olympia busts out the skin-the-cat version of the move for another two-count. Olympia is briefly stunned with a step-up enzuigiri but recovers to plant Starkz with a press slam for two. Olympia crosses the ankles but Starkz blasts her with a right hand, drawing a warning from the referee. Olympia takes a knee to the face and Billie with a suplex across the knee for two. Olympia scoops Billie off the turnbuckle for a powerslam, but Billie counters with a crucifix cradle to score the three-count at 10:46. Billie avoiding dropping someone on their head makes this the best match I’ve seen from her since covering ROH. Another fine outing in a series of them on this episode.

Final Thoughts: It’s a little charitable to consider this a “loaded” episode, but with a Bandido appearance, Tag Title Match with some backstory to it, a tournament match that delivered a solid outing, and some other minor angle developments moving along, this has been one of the better episodes of ROH I’ve seen in a while. I don’t expect that trend to continue, but you can always hope.