**CONTAINS SPOILERS**
ROH: DEATH BEFORE DISHONOR 2023 was broadcast live on July 21st, 2023, from the CURE Insurance Arena in Trenton, NJ!
The event began with the ROH: Zero Hour preshow kicking things off on the official ROH YouTube Channel!
Ian Riccaboni and Caprice Coleman were the commentary team for tonight’s event.
Pure Rules Match!
Josh Woods (with “Smart” Mark Sterling) vs. Tracy Williams!
Your judges were Christopher Daniels, Jimmy Jacobs, and Jerry Lynn.
Williams fired in with a big clothesline and then a suplex for a one-count. “Hot Sauce” Tracy Williams and Josh “The Goods” Woods traded forearms. Williams smashed Woods with a piledriver, but Woods grabbed a rope break with his boot. Josh hit a gut wrench powerbomb. Josh Woods won via submission as he trapped Williams in the ropes with a choke submission and Williams was out of rope breaks.
Action Andretti & Darius Martin
vs.
The Workhorsemen—J.D. Drake & Anthony Henry!
Anthony Henry nailed Darius with a double stomp. The Workhorsemen planted Darius with a combo powerbomb. Their tandem offense was on point tonight. Action Andretti tagged in and cleaned house on the Workhorsemen, even hitting a double shooting star and a double pin for a near fall. Action spiked JD with a satellite DDT. Action hoisted up Drake while Darius helped him hit a whirlybird neck breaker for the pin on J.D. Drake!
“Legit” Leyla Hirsch vs. Trish Adora!
Leyla worked over Trish’s arm. Trish used a low German Suplex with a bridge for a near fall on Leyla. Trish pump kicked Leyla to the chin for another close call. Leyla rallied back with a basement dropkick. Leyla submitted Trish with an armbar. After the match, Trish tried for the Code of Honor, but Leyla grabbed another arm bar. Skye Blue ran out and chased off Leyla.
AR Fox vs. Shane Taylor!
AR Fox went into outer space twice with dives over the top rope onto Taylor outside the ring! Taylor backed Fox into the turnbuckles with an onslaught of offense. Fox hit a shooting star into a 450 to Taylor on the arena floor! Shane Taylor tried for a lariat, but Fox ducked it. Taylor splashed Fox for a near fall. Fox spiked Taylor with a DDT. Fox smashed Taylor with a basement cutter. Fox finished Taylor with a 450 splash and pinned him!
The pay-per-view portion of tonight’s card opened with…
Gravity vs. Komander (with Alex Abrahantes)!
Gravity and Komander cradled and countered each other. Komander flew over the top rope and wiped-out Gravity outside the ring. Komander followed up with a huge shooting star press for a near fall.
“What a dream match this is,” said Ian.
Gravity jumped over the top rope with the Lasso from El Paso onto Komander. Gravity power bombed Komander for a near fall.
“They’re now switching to this high impact moves,” said Caprice.
The fans chanted “Gravity! Gravity! Gravity!”
Komander climbed to the top turnbuckle, but Gravity knocked him off the perch. Gravity followed up with a wristlock takeover from the top. Komander walked the ropes for momentum and dropped a moonsault on Gravity. Komander used a super frankensteiner. After both men hit the mat, Gravity cradled Komander out of nowhere and pinned Komander!
ROH World Television Championship Match!
Samoa Joe (c.) vs. Dalton Castle (with The Boys)!
Stokely Hathaway joined the broadcast booth for this match.
Dalton DDT’ed Samoa Joe. Castle connected with a boot and followed up with a splash to Samoa Joe.
Samoa Joe fought back with a hard elbow drop to Dalton’s back. Dalton chopped Joe, but Joe whipped Dalton into the corner and charged at him with an elbow.
The crowd was split down the middle with “Let’s go Dalton! Let’s go Joe!” chants.
Samoa Joe snap suplexed Dalton Castle, continuing to work over Castle’s back.
“Samoa Joe is like a methodical juggernaut,” said Caprice.
Samoa Joe smashed Dalton with a snap powerslam. Dalton was gasping for air after that.
“Joe knows that Dalton’s back is a sweet spot,” said Stokely.
Castle tried for a tope suicida. Samoa Joe moved but the Boys caught Castle. Dalton tried again for a tope and the second time was the charm. Dalton Castle sent Joe for a ride with a suplex. Castle followed up with a running knee strike. Castle planted Joe with a German Suplex.
Samoa Joe screamed at Stokely, “Fix this!”
Stokely Hathaway got up from the table and ordered the Boys to the back! As the ref was distracted by Stokely, Samoa Joe nailed Dalton with a low blow. Samoa Joe locked on the Coquina Clutch submission and won the match via ref stoppage!
ROH World Tag Team Championship Match!
The Lucha Bros—Penta El Zero Miedo (c.) vs. The Kingdom—Matt Taven & Mike Bennett vs. Aussie Open—Kyle Fletcher & Mark Davis vs. Best Friends—Chuck Taylor & Trent Beretta!
Taven dropkicked Chuck Taylor. Taven tagged in Bennett. The Best Friends dropped double elbows on Mike Bennett. Taven grabbed a blind tag and the Kingdom used tandem offense on Trent.
Rey Fenix and Kyle Fletcher tagged in for their respective teams and traded strikes until Fenix used a spinning kick. Aussie Open utilized quick tags in and out to combat Rey Fenix. Penta El Zero Miedo tagged in and smashed Aussie Open with double DDT’s.
Taven unloaded on Aussie Open with Flight of the Conqueror. Mike Bennett climbed to the top, but Trent met him up there and superplexed Bennett to the outside and onto the other competitors!
Trent was isolated by the Kingdom. The Kingdom cut off the ring and worked over Trent. Trent fought back with a dropkick off the top rope. Before Trent could make the tag to Chuck, Bennett ran across the ring and slugged Chuck. Taven splashed Trent. Bennett was looking for the Spicolli Driver, but Trent countered with a DDT.
Penta El Zero Miedo tagged in and spiked Taven with a pump handle driver for a near fall. Aussie Open came in and steamrolled the other competitors with tandem offense. They sent Penta down with the Whirly Bird, but Taven jumped in to break the pin attempt. The Kingdom nailed Fletcher with the Rockstar Super Nova for a near fall. Taven climbed to the top rope, but Trent tagged in and he and Chuck double suplexed Matt Taven!
Trent nailed Fletcher with a Gotch style piledriver. Davis came in and spiked Trent with a piledriver of his own! The Lucha Bros planted Davis with a double stomp package piledriver! And then the Kingdom used the Hail Mary on Penta, but Penta kicked out! The Kingdom double superkicked Penta. They tried for the Proton Pack, but Penta escaped.
Trent tagged himself in and the Best Friends used the Strong Zero on Bennett. Trent tried to pin Bennett, but the Lucha Bros pulled the ref out of the ring! Penta waffled Trent in the head with a steel chair. Aussie Open pinned Trent after the Coriolis and became new Ring of Honor Tag Team Champions!
ROH World Six-Man Championship Match!
The Mogul Embassy—The Gates of Agony—Bishop Kaun & Toa Liona, and “The Machine” Brian Cage (with Prince Nana) (c.)
vs.
Leon Ruffin, and Master Wato & Ryusuke Taguchi!
Kaun smashed Ruffin with a chin breaker. Kaun continued to inflict damage on Ruffin. The Mogul Embassy had Ruffin cornered.
“Ruffin looks like a sacrificial lamb here,” said Caprice.
Ruffin hit a DDT out of nowhere on Kaun! Wato grabbed a tag and used a bulldog to take down Kaun. Cage entered the ring but was sent down by a leg lariat from Wato.
Toa tagged in and planted Wato with a belly-to-belly suplex. Taguchi managed to tag in, and he hit his Funky Weapon on the Gates of Agony. Wato put Kaun in an ankle lock. Cage connected with a 619 on Wato. Taguchi grabbed a small package on Kaun for a near fall.
Ruffin battered Liona with kicks. Ruffin went for a springboard, but Liona caught him and rocked him with a back breaker. The Mogul Embassy hoisted up Ruffin and then spiked him onto the mat. Liona sat on Ruffin and pinned him.
ROH Pure Championship Match!
Katsuyori Shibata (c.) vs. Daniel Garcia!
Your judges were Christopher Daniels, Jimmy Jacobs, and Jerry Lynn.
Garcia battered Shibata’s arm, stomping on it and ramming it into the apron. He was trying to neutralize Shibata’s arm since Shibata keeps the sleeper in his arsenal.
Shibata dropkicked a downed Daniel Garcia in the corner. He followed up with a float over suplex. Shibata put Garcia in the bow and arrow, but Garcia escaped by using a pin attempt for a near fall.
Garcia applied the Dragon Tamer on Shibata, but Shibata fought out of it. Shibata chopped Garcia’s chest and locked on the sleeper. Garcia tried to dance out of it, but he faded to the mat. Shibata blasted Garcia with the PK and pinned him.
“Garcia went down swinging his hips, but he went down swinging,” said Caprice.
After the match Garcia flipped off Shibata. Shibata grabbed Garcia’s finger and forced him to adhere to the Code of Honor.
Lexy Nair interviewed new ROH World Tag champions Aussie Open backstage!
Fletcher said they collect gold and Ring Of Honor is no exception. “Crowns up!”
Fight Without Honor!
The Righteous—Dutch & Vincent, and Stu Grayson
vs.
The Dark Order—Alex Reynolds, Evil Uno, & John Silver!
Stu Grayson speared Evil Uno off the apron and through a table on the arena floor! John Silver grabbed a 2x4. Dutch had a 2x4 wrapped in barb wire. Silver dropkicked the barb wire 2x4 right into Dutch’s face.
Dutch, busted open, splashed Reynolds in the turnbuckles. Vincent gouged the barb wire into Alex Reynold’s forehead. John Silver emptied a bag of thumbtacks onto the mat. Dutch sidewalk slammed Silver onto the thumbtacks!
Evil Uno cracked Stu Grayson in the back with a steel chair. Uno hit Vincent with the chair! Vincent turned the tables and grounded and pounded Evil Uno. Vincent tore away at Evil Uno’s mask.
The Righteous, like a pack of dogs, swarmed John Silver. Reynolds saved Silver by going after the Righteous with a steel chair.
“You can see thumbtacks on every man inside of that ring,” said Caprice.
Evil Uno pulled out a bag of his own. He opened it and poured out Lego bricks onto the mat! The Righteous regrouped, though. Dutch power bombed Evil Uno onto the Legos and thumbtacks! Stu Grayson frog splashed Silver through a table outside the ring. Vincent power bombed Evil Uno onto the Legos for a near fall.
Dutch pulled a table covered in barb wire from beneath the ring. Grayson picked up Reynolds, marched him up the stairs and tried to run him off…but Reynolds escaped with a DDT. Dutch splashed Reynolds. Alex Reynolds rallied back and shoved Dutch off the stage and down through the barb wire table!
John Silver had a kick pad full of thumbtacks and blasted Vincent with machine gun kicks. Grayson pulled a ladder out from beneath the ring. Grayson set up the ladder in the ring. Grayson climbed the ladder. Evil Uno got to his feet and shoved the ladder, sending Grayson crashing down through two tables outside the ring!
Like a sacrificial lamb, Grayson offered himself up to the Dark Order. Uno and Reynolds hoisted up Grayson while Silver charged at Grayson, planting him onto the thumbtacks and Legos like a pendulum. Evil Uno covered Stu for the pin!
ROH World Championship Match!
Claudio Castagnoli (c.) vs. “The Bastard” PAC!
The champ hoisted up Pac and drove him into the barricade. Pac kicked Claudio before Claudio could put him in the Big Swing. Pac left the ring and crawled up to the stage. Claudio followed him and put him in the Big Swing…on the stage! Claudio did it a second time!
Claudio was going to try the Neutralizer on the entrance ramp, but Pac back dropped the champ. Pac moonsaulted onto Claudio on the arena floor. Pac set up a table, but Claudio clocked Pac with a European Uppercut.
Pac connected with a shotgun dropkick. Pac rocked Claudio with thrust kicks. Pac nailed Claudio with a super brainbuster from the top turnbuckle! Claudio press slammed Pac and threw him over the top rope and through a table on the arena floor!
“We are speechless here,” said Ian.
Claudio jumped off the top rope with an elbow on Pac for a near fall. Claudio battered Pac with the hammer and anvil elbows. Pac escaped the Neutralizer and fired off a kick to Claudio. Pac went for a springboard rana, but Claudio countered with a flipping flapjack. Claudio smashed Pac with the Neutralizer, but Pac kicked out at the two-count!
Champ and challenger traded strikes in the center of the ring! Pac German Suplexed Claudio but Claudio answered with a vicious lariat! Pac superkicked Claudio twice. He followed up with a German Suplex on Claudio for a two-count.
Claudio was attempting the Ricola Bomb off the top rope, but Pac countered with a Splash Mountain Frankensteiner! Pac climbed to the top rope for the Black Arrow, but Claudio dodged it. Claudio turned Pac inside-out with a clothesline. Claudio went for the Ricola Bomb, but Pac countered with a standing Brutalizer, bringing Claudio to his knees. Claudio used his raw power and reestablished his vertical base. With Pac on his back and refusing to let go of him, Claudio climbed up the turnbuckles and jumped back with an Air Raid Crash on Pac!
The fans chanted “R-O-H! R-O-H!”
Wheeler Yuta ran down to the ring and distracted Pac! Claudio planted Pac with the Ricola Bomb and pinned Pac!
Penta El Zero Miedo and Rey Fenix sprinted to the ring and helped Pac to his feet!
“The Death Triangle stand united!” said Ian.
The Death Triangle stood toe to toe with Claudio and Wheeler! The Death Triangle attacked Claudio and Wheeler. Best Friends came to the ring and attacked the Lucha Bros! Orange Cassidy came to the ring and drilled Pac with the Orange Punch!
Orange jumped at Wheeler Yuta, but Yuta ducked, and Cassidy clocked Claudio with the Orange Punch!
ROH Women’s World Championship Match!
“The Fallen Goddess” Athena (c.) vs. Willow Nightingale!
Athena and Willow traded forearms. Willow got the upper hand. She rattled the champ with a suplex. Athena used a crucifix for a near fall. Willow hit a fisherman’s buster for a two-count.
Athena walloped Willow with the Side Effect on the apron! Athena smashed Willow with double knees in the corner turnbuckles. The champ kicked Willow in the spine. Willow tried a senton, but Athena moved out of the way.
Willow and Athena chopped one another. Athena connected with a charging forearm and then a kick to the back of Willow’s head. Willow dug deep and hit a cross body off the apron onto Athena. She power bombed Athena onto the apron.
Willow sandwiched Athena against the ring steps with a cannonball. Athena fired back with the Shimmering Warlock on Willow. Athena followed up with a standing moonsault. But Willow powered up and rocked Athena with the Smash Mouth! Willow booted Athena and followed up with the Royal Butterfly for a near fall!
Athena heart punched Willow and then planted Willow with a driver for a two-count. Willow drilled Athena with a reverse DDT! Athena came back with Obliteration on Willow! Athena power bombed Willow for a two-count!
Athena climbed to the top rope, but Willow met her up there. Willow sent Athena flying with the Spicolli Driver off the top! Athena connected with a throat thrust. She rammed Willow into the ring steps. Athena drilled Willow with the O-Face, but Willow kicked out at two!
“I’ve never seen anyone kick out of that!” said Caprice.
Willow rallied back with the powerbomb, but Athena kicked out! Willow placed Athena on the top turnbuckle. Athena punched Willow off the ropes and then hit the O-Face! Athena applied the cross face for good measure. The ref stopped the match as Willow faded. Athena retained her championship!
Missed out on this historic night of ROH action?! Don’t worry—there’s still time to order the replay of Ring of Honor: Death Before Dishonor 2023! It’s available on pay-per-view and Honor Club!