Date: August 10, 2023
Location: Bon Secours Wellness Arena, Greenville, South Carolina
Commentators: ian Riccaboni, Caprice Coleman


We’re down south for a change and this time around we have another #1 contender to crown. Gravity vs. Shane Taylor is set for a future TV Title shot against Samoa Joe and that should make for a nice showdown. Other than that, Maria Kanellis-Bennett is lurking around various stars. Let’s get to it.


Dalton Castle vs. Slim J

Castle doesn’t have the Boys with him, but rather the Baby Chucks for a change. J gets tossed down rather quickly but he manages an anklescissors into a dropkick. Some right hands send J to the corner, only to have him come back with a middle rope spinning kick to the head. J hammers away but springboards into a failed Bang A Rang attempt. Instead Castle is back with some suplexes into the Bang A Rang for the pin.

Winner: Dalton Castle


Tony Nese and Mark Sterling say there is an obesity epidemic here, so tonight his match against Pat Buck is off. Instead: GROUP TRAINING.


Iron Savages vs. Lucky Ali / Brady Pearce

Jacked Jameson is here with the Savages. Bronson powers him into the corner to start but gets caught with a jawbreaker to the back of the head. With that not working, Jameson throws in the Savage Sauce. After a drink, Bronson wrecks Ali and hands it off to Boulder for the house cleaning. A blind tag doesn’t work for Pearce as Boulder slams both of them at once. The electric chair splash finishes Ali.

Winner: Iron Savages


The Infantry vs. Zicky Dice / Movie Myk

Myk (with one of the worst ring names I’ve ever heard) grabs Dean’s arm to start but Dean snaps off some armdrags. Bravo comes in and gets driven into the corner, where Dice misses a charge. The diving tag brings Dean back in to hammer away, setting up Boot Camp (running big boot/Russian legsweep combination) to finish Myk.

Winner: The Infantry


Leyla Hirsch wants a shot at Athena but here is Maria Kanellis-Bennett to interrupt. She thinks Leyla needs some more confidence. Maria will be watching Leyla’s match tonight.


Lee Moriarty vs. Andrew Everett

Everett does this weird gimmick where he’s an average (or below average) sized guy but thinks he’s a giant, down to wearing The Giant’s style gear. Everett flips away to start and hits a dropkick but Moriarty ties him in the ropes and hammers away. Moriarty stomps on the arm but Everett is right back with a Falcon Arrow for two. A shooting star press misses for Everett though and a spinning faceplant sets up the Border City Stretch for the tap.

Winner: Lee Moriarty


Pat Buck vs. Tony Nese

Mark Sterling is here with Nese, who does his “you’re fat and stupid so let’s do group training” stuff before the match. Buck takes him down by the leg to start and snaps it around but Nese stops for some pushups. Back up and Sterling offers a distraction, allowing Nese to hit a clothesline for one. The springboard moonsault lands on Buck as he rolls away, so Nese tries it again and this time Buck misses, allowing Buck to get two (nice job on keeping things going off the botch). A Sterling distraction lets Nese knock Buck into the corner though and the Running Nese finishes Buck.

Winner: Tony Nese


The Workhorsemen know they’re great but want more. The Gates of Agony come in, with Prince Nana saying if the Workhorsemen beat them, they can have a Six Man Tag Team Title shot.


Athena vs. Rachael Ellering

Non-title Proving Ground match, so if Ellering wins or survives the ten minute time limit, she gets a future title shot. Ellering grabs a sunset flip for two to start before avoiding a charge. A backsplash hits Athena for two but she’s back with some hard forearms. Athena knocks her out to the floor for a ram into the announcers’ table, followed by a cravate back inside. Ellering fights up and hits a Sling Blade, followed by a big swinging Boss Man Slam for two. Athena pulls her off the top though and a Shining Wizard sets up the O Face for the pin.

Winner: Athena


Workhorsemen vs. Gates Of Agony

Prince Nana is here with the Gates. Kaun runs Henry over to start so Henry hits a dropkick for no avail. Toa comes in for a power off with Drake but can’t get anywhere. It’s back to Henry, who gets run over without much trouble. Some chops don’t do much to Kaun as Henry is knocked outside, where the Workhorsemen get sent into various objects. Back in and Kaun hits an Irish Curse for two on Henry but Toa misses a backsplash.

A missed charge allows the diving tag to Drake so house can be cleaned. Drake hits a neckbreaker into a backsplash on Toa, followed by Kaun being clotheslined to the floor. Drake’s dive in the general direction of the Gates grazes Toa enough that Henry can frog splash Kaun for two. A superkick into a top rope backsplash gets two on Kaun as he gets a foot on the rope. Drake’s moonsault misses though and Open The Gates finishes him off at 10:42.

Winner: Gates Of Agony


Cole Karter thinks Maria Kanellis-Bennett liked his match last week. She comes in to say we’ll see how he does this week.


Leyla Hirsch vs. Angelica Risk

Hirsch throws her around to start as Maria Kanellis-Bennett comes out to watch. Risk reverses a suplex into a small package for two but misses a middle rope dropkick. A cross armbreaker makes Risk tap at 2:25.

Winner: Leyla Hirsch


Athena doesn’t like being asked if she is the face of Ring Of Honor, when there shouldn’t be any question about it. She is all the champions and takes Lexi Nair with her to find more competition.


Cole Karter vs. Rhett Titus

Titus takes him down for an early armbar before hitting a monkey flip for one. The dropkick misses though, allowing Karter to hit a dropkick of his own. Cue Maria Kanellis-Bennett to watch again as Karter grabs a chinlock. Titus is back up with a backbreaker and a hard clothesline, setting up the dropkick for two. Karter pops back up with the backbreaker spun into the DDT for the pin at 4:05.

Winner: Cole Karter


Robyn Renegade vs. Billie Starkz

Charlotte is here with Robyn. Starkz starts fast but Charlotte shoves her off the top for a big crash. Robyn hits a running knee in the corner and a snapmare gets one. We hit the fishhook camel clutch but Starkz gets out and punches her way out of the corner. A Gory Bomb gives Starkz two but Robyn faceplants her for two. Starkz sends Robyn outside and hits a dive onto both of them, setting up a Swanton for the pin at 5:29.

Winner: Billie Starkz

After the match:
The Renegades beat her down until Athena of all people makes the save. Athena actually lets Starkz go. So Starkz over the Renegades. Sure.


Josh Woods wants to be treated as a real fighter, so Mark Sterling gets him a match with Silas Young next week.


TV Title #1 Contenders Tournament Final
Shane Taylor vs. Gravity

Gravity’s monkey flip is blocked and Taylor powers him down without much effort. A hard lariat gives Taylor two and the neck crank goes on. Taylor hits a slam and mocks the slow Gravity walk, meaning he misses a legdrop. Taylor’s suplex is countered into a small package for two but he release Rock Bottoms Gravity out of the corner. Gravity breaks up a middle rope splash and hits a super Samoan drop. The top rope splash misses though and Taylor hits the Marcus Garvey Driver for the pin.

Winner: Shane Taylor