The road to Final Battle moves along with a Special Episode on YouTube. I have apparently talked myself into going to Final Battle in Columbus, Ohio on December 5! I was going to make a Frank Williams joke, but I just learned that he died in 1991 of lung cancer at the age of 51. RIP Mr. Williams.
Ring of Honor
ROH Special Episode
September 5, 2025
Philadelphia, PA
The show begins with a recap of Death Before Dishonor. It was the same package shown last night on ROH on Honorclub. It was followed by highlights from last night’s show including the appearance from Jon Moxley.
AR FOX & THE KINGDOM (MIKE BENNET & MATT TAVEN) DEF. THE FRAT HOUSE (COLE CARTER, GRIFF GARRISON & PRESTON VANCE) (w/ JACKED JAMESON & THE PLEDGES)
I love it when Babyface teams are thrown together like this. It reminds me of teams like Brian Pillman, Tom Zenk & Johnny B. Badd teaming up on WCW Saturday Night or turning on WWF Superstars and seeing Tito Santana, Junkyard Dog & Hillbilly Jim give it a whirl. After once again being the most exciting person in a match, AR Fox gets the pinfall on Cole Carter after a 450 Splash from the top.
We are back in the parking lot of the 2300 Arena, where the Infantry is celebrating after their 6 Man Tag Team Title win at Death Before Dishonor. I’m glad Shane Taylor is on this roster as he cuts another fiery promo. AR Fox & The Kingdom vs STP could be a lot of fun.
THE PREMIER ATHLETES (TONY NESE & ARIYA DIAVARI) (W/ MARK STERLING) DEF. THE SPANISH ANNOUNCE PROJECT (ANGELICO & SERPENTICO)
On the way to the ring, Mark Sterling said that he may need surgery at the hands of Tomohiro Ishii & Hologram, but all this abuse ends tonight as he has a “contingency plan.” I hope it’s TJP, Rich Swann & Gran Metalik. 205 4 Life! Athletes get the win when their “contingency plan” Stori Denali Chokeslammed Serpentico and Daivari made the pin. Denali is a 6 ‘3 former Ohio State Women’s Volleyball player and recent freelancer wrestling for many promotions like GLCW, Dreamwave & Brew City Wrestling.
We get another recap from Death Before Dishonor. This time focused on the participants in the Women’s Pure Championship Tournament. We then get the updated bracket.
PURE RULES MATCH
DEONNA PURRAZZO DEF. RACHAEL ELLERING
As they try to get this new division going, Deonna gets the submission victory with the Venus de Milo. It wouldn’t surprise me if we saw Rachael’s father show up to manage her soon in ROH.
PURE RULES MATCH
TRISH ADORA DEF. ASHLEY VOX
They go right into the next Pure Rules Match as Trish Adora tries to steal Deonna’s spotlight and let her presence be known. Adora gets the submission with a Sitting Position Double Hammer Lock in under 3 minutes. I was a little surprised to see Adora hit Vox after the bell with a shoulder strike during the Code of Honor. I thought we were on the verge of a STP face turn but maybe it will be a slow turn as their next challengers may very well be The Kingdom & AR Fox.
We got a promo from MXMTV. I do hope that someday we get a Mansoor singles run.
JOHNNY TV (W/ MXM & TAYA VALKYRIE) DEF. ALEX ZAYNE
Alex Zayne started the year as the surprise entrant in the NJPW Ranbo during the Wrestle Kingdom Pre-Show. Here, the numbers advantage from MXTMV was too much for Zayne, as Johnny gets the win after Mansoor sprays Zayne with the Seed. Zayne looked good here and I would love him to stick around ROH and hopefully get a fair shot at Johnny TV.
Lexy Nair catches up with The Premier Athletes in the parking lot. Mark Sterling introduces Stori Denali as an official member of the Premier Athletes.
THE BEAST MORTOS DEF. JORDAN OLIVER
Commentary points out that Oliver has a vulnerable neck due to FTR’s spike piledriver attack from Dynamite two nights ago, and that much of Mortos’s offense is focused on the neck. That’s why I think Ian & Caprice are the best around. Mortos got the win after his Destination Hellhole, which is a piledriver variation. I hope they keep this up. Making Oliver the new guy who keeps getting knocked down but refuses to quit could work. Maybe he could borrow Tony Khan’s neck brace.
We go backstage for an Outrunners promo. They claim they are down but not out and have issues with STP rubbing their loss in their faces at Death Before Dishonor.
THE DON CALLIS FAMILY (HECHICERO & LANCE ARCHER) DEF. BEEF & LSG
LSG is the current WrestlePro Silver Champion, who wrestled his first match with ROH back in 2015, & BEEF is a former AAW Heavyweight Champion & Limitless World Champion who has been making ROH appearances here and there since 2023. I like BEEF, but the Don Callis duo made quick work of him & LSG here with Hechicero finishing BEEF off with a powerbomb for the pin.
They show a very good recap video of Athena’s 1000 days as ROH Women’s World Champion. I cannot wait for Syuri to return. That is the Women’s title match I want to see the most in ROH.
PURE RULES MATCH
JOSH WOODS DEF. MATT MAKO
Mako is a perfect fit for ROH, and I hope he gets signed soon. He has been working GCW, JCW, WCPW, amongst others, recently and scored a victory over The Beast Mortos at the Labor of Love show in Philadelphia this past Sunday. Glad to see Josh Woods back as he gets the win after an Anarchist Suplex into the Corner. The Premier Athletes have momentum going into Dean 3 where Woods gets a shot at Lee Moriarty’s ROH Pure Championship.
HOLOGRAM DEF. AARON SOLO
Both wrestlers looked really good in this match, as once again, Hologram gets the crowd behind him. I was at the Collision/ROH tapings in Arlington, TX, before All In, and when Hologram made a surprise appearance, the gentleman right behind me could not have been more excited. They really could have something here as Hologram gets the pin after the Portal Bomb.
We now get a preview for the 9/6 Collision, and I am really looking forward to FTR vs Adam Priest & Tom Billington! And it looks like Dean 3 will be airing on Thursday on HonorClub in place of ROH and not as a stand-alone event.
Looking ahead to Dean 3 on Thursday:
- Wheeler Yuta vs Matt Mako
- Billie Starks vs Nicole Matthews
- Maestros Contra Maestros Match: Hechicero, Xelhua & Dr. Cerebro vs Blue Panther, Virus & Pantera
PROVING GROUND MATCH
ROH WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION BANDIDO DEF. LEE JOHNSON (W/ BLAKE CHRISTIAN)
Bandido makes surprisingly quick work of Johnson here in the main event getting the pin after the X-Knee. Blake Christian snuck in after the bell and landed a Lethal Injection on Bandido followed by the signature Jay Lethal Strut. Christian then grabbed and raised the belt as Caprise pointed out that Christian has a recent victory of the former ROH World Champion Jay Lethal. Looks like we are getting a Bandido vs Blake Christian match soon.
We now head down to Arena Mexico for the Main Event.
CMLL
Viernes Espectacular
September 5, 2025
Mexico City, Mexico
BANDIDO & MISTICO (W/ KEMONITO) DEF. HECHICERO & ANGEL DE ORO (W/ KEMALITO)
I am going to admit something very dorky about myself. I legit get nervous and upset when one luchador tries to take off the mask of another. I don’t know why, I truly just can’t help it. I guess that’s the one thing left that’s “Still Real to Me DAMMIT!” The crowd was unsurprisingly hot for this one and firmly behind Mistico & Bandido, especially when Hechicero & Angel messed with KeMonito. Mistico & Bandido picked up the win after Bandido hit Hechicero with the 21 Plex and Mistico caught Angel with La Mistica.
On The Honor System #3 we take a look at some action from AEW Collision from 9/6 and ACTION Dean 3 from Thursday 9/11 on HonorCLub.
Highlights of the Week:
- Aariya Daivari & Tony Nese def. Angelico & Serpentico (The Debut of Stori Denalli) [9.5.2025]
- Mark Sterling introduces Stori Denali as an official member of the Premier Athletes with Lexi Nair in the parking lot [9.5.2025]
- Recap video of Athena’s 1000 days as ROH Women’s World Champion [9.5.2025]
- Bandido & Mistico def. Hechicero & Angel de Oro from Arena Mexico [9.5.2025]
