Ring of Honor TV live results: Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Metalik title defense

By Suit Williams
Published: 31 Aug 2023, 15:30

NJPW TV Champion Zack Sabre Jr. will defend his title once again as part of tonight’s Ring of Honor on HonorClub.

Sabre Jr. will defend against Metalik in their second-ever meeting. The first was in the 2016 WWE Cruiserweight Classic semifinals where Metalik got the win.

The ROH Six-Man titles will be on the line as The Embassy (Brian Cage, Toa Liona & Bishop Kaun) will defend against Lee Johnson, Darius Martin & Action Andretti.

Ahead of their involvement in an ROH Tag Team title eliminator battle royal on Rampage Friday, The Outrunners will take on Angelico & Serpentico.

Former ROH Pure Champion Josh Woods will take on John Walters while Marina Shafir will be in action against Angelica Risk.

The WorkHorsemen (JD Drake & Anthony Henry) will team up with Lee Moriarty in a trios bout.

Emi Sakura and Cole Karter will also be in singles matches against opponents to be named.

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NJPW World Television Title Match – Zack Sabre Jr. defeated Metalik to retain the title

This was Sabre’s 12^th defence of the title.

If this matchup looks familiar, it’s because these two wrestled in the semifinals of WWE’s Cruiserweight Classic back in 2016. Sabre hunted for submissions early, but Metalik was able to slip away and standoff with Sabre. Sabre offered a handshake before turning it into a wristlock. Metalik picked up the pace by hooking Sabre’s arm and hitting a step-up hurricanrana.

They jostled for position on a hip toss, but Sabre hooked the arm and cranked the bicep. Sabre focused on the arm, hitting a pair of bicep stomps while mouthing off to the crowd. Metalik used the good arm to hit an overhand chop before hitting two ropewalk dropkicks and a dive to Sabre on the floor. Metalik took Sabre back into the ring and hit a ropewalk crossbody for a nearfall.

Sabre came back with a La Mistica into a Cobra Twist that he took to the ground, but Metalik was able to squirm to the ropes. Sabre went back for the arm, but Metalik came back with a satellite DDT for a nearfall. They got into a pinning predicament before Metalik hit a thrust kick. Metalik went for a ropewalk elbow drop, but Sabre caught him in a Fujiwara armbar. Sabre hooked both of Metalik’s arms, forcing Metalik to submit with his foot.

Backstage, Lexy Nair was with Cole Karter & Maria Kanellis-Bennett. Nair asked Karter what he said to Griff Garrison last week. Karter said that Kanellis wanted to give Garrison an opportunity, with Kanellis noting that it would be good for Karter and Garrison to team up. Karter asked Kanellis to accompany him to ringside tonight, and after some reluctance, Kanellis agreed.

Josh Woods defeated John Walters

After both men worked to gain control of the other’s arm, Woods hooked Walters’ leg on a leapfrog and took him down. Walters went for a pair of pinfalls, but Woods caught him with a big running knee. Woods locked on his standing scorpion lock to score the win.

Lee Moriarty & The WorkHorsemen (Anthony Henry & JD Drake) defeated Beef, Invictus Khash & Lord Crewe

Moriarty and the WorkHorsemen got a jump start on their opponents. Khash hit a bodyslam on Moriarty, but Moriarty landed a knee to his back and tagged out to Henry. Crewe tagged in and caught Henry with a rollup, but Drake got a blind tag and hit a DDT. Crewe hit a hurricane kick on Henry before tagging in Beef, who ran wild on Moriarty. Beef caught nothing but canvas on a frog splash, allowing the WorkHorsemen to score the win with a foot stomp from Henry and a moonsault from Drake.

Cole Karter (w/Maria Kanellis-Bennett) defeated Dustin Jackson

Jackson sent Karter into the corner with a dropkick, but Karter caught him with two dropkicks of his own. Karter soon after hit the Eye of the Beholder DDT variant for the win.

Emi Sakura defeated Alice Crowley

Crowley brought the fight to Sakura, taking her down with a lucha arm drag. Sakura took Crowley down with a chop to the throat. Crowley moved out of the way of a Vader Bomb and fought back, but Sakura forced her into the corner with chops. Crowley fought out with a Perfect Plex for a nearfall. Sakura spun her out with a reverse Cross Rhodes. Sakura hit the Imperial Backbreaker for the win.

Backstage, Lexy Nair was with Josh Woods & Smart Mark Sterling. Sterling gave Woods the challenges he wanted before hyping up his accomplishments. He says that Woods will run the Pure Division.

Spanish Announce Project (Angelico & Serpentico) defeated The Outrunners (Truth Magnum & Turbo Floyd)

Serpentico got the early advantage, keeping Magnum off balance with his offense. Angelico tagged in and hit a big kick to the back for a nearfall. Serpentico came back in and hit a thrust kick, but Magnum rolled out of the way and laid out Serpentico with a lariat.

The Outrunners clubbered on Serpentico before he got to the corner and tagged in Angelico. Angelico ran wild, catching Floyd in an STF that Magnum broke up. Serpentico sent Magnum to the floor, allowing Angelico to lock on a submission and score the win. I think this is the first win of Serpentico’s AEW career, but I’ll be sure to fact-check that one.

Marina Shafir defeated Angelica Risk

Risk went for…something before Shafir slammed her down. Shafir ripped Risk down with a pair of judo throws. Risk tried to throw some strikes, but Shafir booted her down. Shafir locked on a triangle choke for the win, hanging onto it after the bell.

ROH World Six Man Tag Team Title Match – The Mogul Embassy (Bishop Kaun, Brian Cage & Toa Liona) (w/Prince Nana) defeated Action Andretti, Darius Martin & Lee Johnson to retain the titles

Andretti, Martin, & Johnson did a great job of building up to their big nearfall, as I thought they had a chance to win the titles here.

The champs got a jump start, with Cage hitting an F-5 on Martin for a quick nearfall. Martin hit a rana to escape a powerbomb attempt, but Cage cut off an attempt at a tag with a lariat. Martin hit a tornado DDT before tagging into Johnson. Johnson rocked Cage with an enzuigiri and a superkick before hitting a big scoop and a slam. Kaun cut off Johnson’s momentum, allowing Cage to hit a neckbreaker out of the corner.

The Embassy clubbered on Johnson until he was able to make a tag out to Andretti. Andretti ran wild, taking out both Kaun and Liona. Andretti hit a Spanish Fly on Kaun for a nearfall. The match broke down into a Pier Six brawl, with the challengers isolating Kaun for a nearfall after an Andretti split-leg moonsault.

The challengers had a bigger challenge with Liona, but eventually worked him out of the ring. It was down to Cage, who got hit with a shotgun dropkick into a German suplex. Johnson hit a frog splash for a nearfall. They took out Nana with a triple superkick and Cage with a triple-team cutter, but Kaun cut off the pinfall. Kaun and Liona got back involved and quickly isolated Johnson, who they beat with a pendulum powerbomb.