Ring of Honor TV live results: Michael Oku vs. Jay Lethal
After appearing at Supercard of Honor last Friday, UK standout Michael Oku returns for another Ring of Honor match on tonight’s HonorClub show.
Oku will take on former ROH World Champion Jay Lethal for the first time ever.
Former ROH TV Champion Atlantis Jr. will go one-on-one with Lee Johnson while another CMLL star — Hechicero — will battle Angelico.
Diamante will take on Maya World to round out the card from Garland, Texas.
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Without even a moment to breathe after Supercard of Honor, it’s time for the 125th episode of Ring of Honor on Honorclub! (ok, there were six days to breathe, but you get me.)
Atlantis Jr. vs Lee Johnson (w/Blake Christian)
Blake Christian debuted a stylish new haircut on the Supercard of Honor Zero Hour show, but it was Johnson who had a bad night, losing out on $50,000 in a four-way loss to AR Fox. Atlantis Jr. wasn’t on the Supercard, er, card, but he did pick up a win teaming with his Dad over SAP last week. Also, far superior coat to Johnson.
The two locked up and Johnson immediately started trying to shift the match of Atlantis, causing enough confusion to get a hammerlock on the luchadore. The speed picked up from there with Atlantis delivering a flying head scissor that sent Johnson out of the ring. Atlantis followed with a dive.
Back in the ring, Johnson couldn’t seem to get any momentum on his side until Christian interfered and laid out Atlantis with a very fast, very sneaky dropkick in the corner. That allowed Johnson to take control, trying multiple pinning attempts and settling on a head lock.
Atlantis battled back though, hitting Johnson with a high knee. Christian got up on the ring apron (the uppest part of the ring!) to try and cause a distraction but Atlantis saw it and dispatched he and Johnson, maintaining the upper hand.
Atlantis went up top for a frog splash, but Johnson dodged it and followed up with a Spiccoli driver. Johnson set up Atlantis for a powerbomb, but Atlantis reversed it into a German Suplex, which Johnson reversed into some clubbing strikes. Atlantis then hit a Mexican Destroyer followed by a Frog Splash to get the pin and the victory.
Match Result: Atlantis Jr. defeated Lee Johnson
Decent bout for the two, but I’m surprised by Johnson. He was once on fire in ROH, but las slowed down considerably. With such a thick tag division in ROH, I don’t know if sticking him with Christian is how to make either man stand out, but time will tell!
-Next, ROH Pure Champion Lee Moriarty cut a promo from backstage at Supercard. He promised that he would take the Pure title to the top and everyone better watch out.
Diamante vs Maya World
Diamante is on a bit of a roll in ROH, having returned from injury in March. She’s teamed with Athena in a winning tag match and beat Lady Frost on the Supercard Zero Hour preshow. Maya World’s last ROH match was almost exactly one full year ago, when she lost to Robyn Renegade. World is holding her own though as a QUADRUPLE champion, holding the DFW All-Pro Tag Team Championship (with Alejandra Quintanilla), the VIP Women’s Championship, the HOT Women’s Championship and the Inspire Pro Pure Prestige Championship. So no matter what happens here, she’s doing OK.
World had a biut of a size advantage over Diamante, but anyone who’s ever seen Diamante in the ring knows that size means nothing to her. She started off bringing World to her knees with some hard clubbing strikes.
Diamante hit world with a flying head scissor and was in complete control early on. Diamante raked World’s face along the ropes and chopped her in the corner. World dodged the next one though and set Diamante up for a powerbomb. Diamante got out of it though and hit a Code Red. That was in for World and Diamante got the pin.
Match Result: Diamante defeated Maya World
Fun if not fast match. Diamante is a really mean wrestler and really fun to watch. I kinda wish she’d drop the gunshots from her music, but that’s just me.
-Next, the MxM Collection aired a commercial for their new scent, “Seed.” It was as gross as you can imagine.
-Then, Athena cut a promo about how she’s going to be AEW Women’s world champion. Cool. Following that, a retrospective of Dustin Rhodes’ time in AEW/ROH culminating with his TNT title win at All In. Rhodes was interviewed from All In and said that it meant everything to him and his family to win the TNT title in Texas.
Jay Lethal vs Michael Oku (w/Amira)
A delightful surprise of the Supercard of Honor Zero Hour pre show was Lethal taking on Blake Christian in a really fun bout. He lost that match, but he’s ready to take on someone else who lost at Supercard in Oku (who lost to Hechicero).
The two locked up with Oku getting a headlock on first. From there, Oku’s speed was on full display as he flipped and wigged around Lethal. Lethal looked stunned as he stood up, clearly having underestimated Oku.
Lethal then offered Oku a free shot and Oku decked him. Lethal returned the shot, but clearly his punches were a little more devastating that Oku. Oku wasn’t done though and he laid another punch on Lethal that sparked a suplex from the bigger man.
Lethal set up a Lethal Injection, but Oku was able to get out of the way and planted a superkick on Lethal’s head that had him crumpling to the mat. Oku grabbed Lethal’s ankle, but took a little too long and Lethal got out of the way.
Lethal locked in a figure four and both men rolled all the way out of the ring, still in the hold. Both climbed up onto the ring apron and Oku back body dropped Lethal back to the floor. Oku in the ring got the crowd going and hit a big backflip onto Lethal on the outside.
Oku tossed Lethal back in and tried for a dropkick in the corner, but Lethal got out of it and leapt from the top ro[e with and elbow. Oku caught him and tried for a pin, but Lethal hit a series of cutters followed by a Lethal Injection to take the victory.
Match result: Jay Lethal defeated Michael Oku
I’ve grown to like this iteration of Jay Lethal a lot. The Lethal Injection is a great move and Lethal plays that veteran role really well, shaking hands with Oku after the match. Oku is a star waiting to break out and I’m hoping we see more of him in ROH.
-Next, footage was shown of The Frat House drinking. They lost to the Dark Order at Supercard and decided to find a bar in Texas (there are one or two apparently) because win or lose, they booze. (gross).
Hechicero (w/Rocky Romero) vs Angelico (w/Serpentico)
But enough about the bummer Frat House. You know who’s great? Hechicero. You know who else is great? Angelico. Only one of them beat Micheal Oku at Supercard of Honor though! You can find out which one here. No matter what, Angelico in a rare singles bout against a former CMLL World Champion is an excellent Main Event to kick off post-Supercard ROH. Also, Hechicero has called his shot against Bandido for the ROH World Title. I am very much looking forward to that.
Any way, Hechicero wanted no part of the code of honor and Angelico managed to avoid locking up with Hechicero off the top. Angelico did get a wrist lock on but Hechicero rolled through and into a hammer lock. Angelico got out of it via rope break.
The match progressed slowly, which was strange for Hechicero, but Angelico worked the timing, slithering in and out of holds and keeping up when the speed was taken up a notch. These guys both have similar styles, but were trained to use it in different ways.
Hechicero grabbed Angelico and hung him up on the ropes. That gave Romero a chance to get a shot in and Hechicero laid out Angelico in the corner. Hechicero ended up on the ring apron and Angelico charged, but Hechicero caught his foot and wracked the knee over the rope.
Serpentico began banging on the ring apron (the most serpentine part of the ring!) while Angelico staggerd to his feet. Hechicero was hit with a flurry of kicks and knees as Angelico wormed and dodged is way around Hechicero.
Angelico hit a jumping flatliner, but it only got a two count. He wrapped Hechiero’s legs up for a grapevine, but Romero caused a distraction and Hechicero used it to hit a spinning, spinning, spinning backbreaker, and get the 1-2-3 on Angelico.
Match Result: Hechicero defeated Angelico
After the match Romero and Hechicero started a beatdown of SAP, but before it could go on too long, Hologram appeared and cleared the ring to make the save.
Good match, Hechicero is a great heel. I was a little surprised at how loose Angelico was, but the introduction of Hologram was a great move. Hechicero is up next to face Bandido and seeing him heel it up against the champ will be awesome. Also, I am beginning to suspect that under that mask, Hechicero is actor Emilio Rivera. I could be wrong, but I hope I’m not.