Ring of Honor Review - September 12, 2024

By Graham "GSM" Matthews

ROH World Television Champion Atlantis Jr. def. "Pretty" Peter Avalon in an ROH World Television Championship Proving Ground Match

I can't see Avalon and not immediately think of that faction he used to lead. Remember The Wingmen? Yeah, I'd like to forget about that group, too. He was no threat to Atlantis, so the idea of this being a Proving Ground match was comical. Then again, Athena has had plenty of Proving Ground matches against enhancement talent, so I guess this was no different. It was certainly a match that existed.

Queen Aminata def. Harley Cameron

I'll give Cameron her credit for exceeding my expectations in the ring this year, but I still couldn't give a damn about The Outcasts. Ring of Honor is probably the best place for her to grow, but Aminata is the brighter prospect in my opinion and thus I'm glad she went over. It also allowed Aminata to bounce back from her loss to Mariah May on Wednesday's Dynamite (even though this was taped last month). They had a decent match.

Top Flight and Action Andretti def. Vin Parker, Dante Leon and CD Bennett

The best thing I can say about this is that Top Flight and Andretti didn't come out in their ridiculous-looking fight attendant outfits. Seriously, how has no one in the back said how stupid they look? You'd think this was a squash, but it went so long that I don't know that you can classify it as much. Obviously, their opponents aren't not signed, so I have no clue why this got so much time.

The Outrunners def. Fly Def

The Outrunners have yet to win me over personally, but they've gradually gotten themselves over with the audience. It was extremely noticeable during the Casino Gauntlet tag team main event on Dynamite when they were arguably the most popular team that participated. They kept their momentum rolling with a win here as well. Post-match, The Infantry saved them from an Iron Savages attack, so if wasn't already apparent, they're officially babyfaces.

Robyn Renegade def. Angelica Risk

Renegade has gotten the occasional singles showing on AEW TV as of late, so these matches probably exist so those wins actually matter (even though it doesn't make much of a difference, especially now that AEW doesn't acknowledge win-loss records anymore). I didn't think there was anything out of the ordinary about this, but I will say that Renegade's finisher was pretty cool.

The Righteous def. James Blackheart and JC Valentine

The Righteous received a super short-lived push last year when they challenged for the ROH World Tag Team Championship and they've done absolutely nothing since. It's a shame because they're a terrific team, but spinning their wheels on ROH TV has done them no favors. They picked up another win here, but I doubt it will amount to anything. That double-team move they hit right before the finish looked sweet, though.

ROH World Tag Team Champion Sammy Guevara def. Ariya Daivari

Guevara made a rare appearance on Dynamite when he faced (and lost to) Ricochet. It made sense for that to be a competitive contest. This, not so much. Yes, Daivari is under contract, but the guy never wins (at least against fellow contracted wrestlers). Sure, it was a well-worked match, but the outcome was never in doubt and it was impossible to care. Please don't tell me this is leading to Guevara and Dustin Rhodes defending against Premier Athletes.

Lady Frost def. Promise Braxton

Frost being back in the ROH women's division (following a rather lengthy hiatus) is a positive. I hope she works her way toward challenging for the ROH Women's World Television Championship at some point, she'd be the perfect fit for that belt if she were to win it. This win gets her one step closer to contention. The match was whatever, but it accomplished what it needed to.

Willie Mack def. Exodus Prime

Apparently Mack's last match in AEW or ROH was all the way back at the Revolution pay-per-view in March. I had no idea he had been gone for that long. He's had matches in other promotions since then, so it's not like he's been hurt. Regardless, I'm happy that he's returned as he's a blast to watch wrestle. This would have stood out more if it didn't happen on a show with what felt like a million matches on it.

Preston Vance def. K.M.

We heard from Vance in a pre-taped promo beforehand. He mentioned Brodie Lee and how he's flying solo now. In other words, his partnership with La Faccion Ingobernable was a flop and he's going back to doing his own thing. I've always thought Vance has potential, but it's possible he'll flounder on ROH TV from here on out. Yes, he scored a win here in what was a straightforward showcase, but it's about the follow-up.

Fuego Del Sol and Spanish Announce Project def. Joe Alonzo and Ace of Space Academy

Fuego and Spanish Announce Project is a rather random trio (especially since I don't remember there being a segment explaining that they were joining forces), but there's nothing wrong with them being added to the trios ranks. We'll see if it sticks. If not, then this was a waste of time. On a side note, it's awesome that Alonzo has been used so much by AEW/ROH for enhancement matches in the last month.

Komander and AR Fox def. Ariel Dominguez and Brillante RB

This was yet another completely random pairing. It'd be nice if there was some sort of an explanation for why some of these teams exist other than the obvious (Tony Khan wanting to get as many people on these shows as possible). They had quality chemistry as partners, so there was that. I'm still bummed that Fox's push was cut short last summer and he never really recovered after that.

Lio Rush def. Rocky Romero

The commentators talked about the history that Rush and Romero have outside of the ring with Romero helping Rush get into New Japan Pro-Wrestling. I appreciated that they attempted to make the match more meaningful despite the lack of stakes. Both guys are talented, so unsurprisingly, it was a fun main event. Rush just failed to beat Jack Perry for the AEW TNT Championship on Dynamite, so this was a rebound win for him.

Overall Show

This was another two-hour edition of ROH TV that was also taped at the Esports Stadium in Texas over a month ago. Those poor people having to sit through a marathon of matches. If you enjoy squashes, then this is the show for you, but for most people, these two hours will be totally inconsequential. Nothing is ever accomplished and everyone feels like they're in the same spot. Unless you need something on in the background to help you fall asleep, I would not recommend this show.

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