ROH’s annual Wrestlemania weekend tradition, Supercard of Honor, took place Friday night from the Liacouras Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. The show saw the promotion crown a new world champion, found its first-ever women’s TV titleholder and also included many other surprises along the way.
Mark Briscoe dethrones Eddie Kingston, earns ROH World Championship
A busy evening of wrestling finished with a bout between Mark Briscoe and Eddie Kingston for the ROH World Championship. While Briscoe has previously earned the ROH tag titles 13 times, he was chasing his first-ever singles title in the promotion this weekend – a title that his late brother, Jay Briscoe, picked up twice in the 2010s.
Briscoe did a pair of dives outside of the ring in the third minute of the match, landing in front of his supporting family. Back in the ring Briscoe set up a chair for a move. He came off the ropes in hopes of landing a move on Kingston but instead was chokeslammed onto the chair.
Back outside of the ring, Kingston bashed Briscoe’s head into the commentary desk. It was at this point that Briscoe started to bleed heavily from the top of his head. Kingston scored with a series of headbutts to Brisoce. A duel of chops took place, and then Kingston put Briscoe in a corner of the ring by landing punches.
Kingston and Briscoe took turns unloading with chops to the chest. This style of hard-hitting strikes was a theme that was seen throughout the fight. Kingston ended the duel with a belly-to-belly suplex. Briscoe was bleeding quite a bit by this point, his face was completely covered with blood.
Kingston tried to dive to the outside and land on Briscoe but instead ate a chop to the head. Kingston was placed on a security guard’s chair up against the barricade and then consumed a kick. Briscoe suplexed Kingston onto the mat. He then went to the apron and scored an elbow drop onto Kingston.
Back in the ring, Briscoe and Kingston went toe to toe to trade chops. Kingston took down the straps in his outfit, which meant things just got a little more serious. When the fight went outside the ring again, Briscoe hit a Blockbuster off the ring apron. He then threw Kingston back into the ring and went to the top. Kingston dodged what Briscoe tried for, but Briscoe quickly responded by landing the Spicoli Driver. He then scored an elbow drop off the top rope, but it wasn’t enough to put away the champ.
Kingston and Briscoe took turns slamming each other, both connecting twice before a double clothesline took them both down. Kingston and Briscoe went to the ring apron. In a brutal moment, Kingston landed a belly-to-belly suplex onto the floor. Briscoe beat a near count-out to stay in the match.
Hitting the 20-minute mark, Briscoe and Kingston were striking each other while on their knees. Briscoe went off the ropes and scored a clothesline. Kingston escaped a Jay Driller, landed a snap german suplex and a spinning backfist for a two-count. Briscoe landed a forearm after avoiding an elbow from Kingston. Briscoe hit the Cutthroat Driver for a near fall. He picked up Kingston for the Jay Driller to end the match and become the new ROH World Champion.
A flurry of ribbons was thrown into the ring from the crowd after Briscoe became champion. He was joined by family and wrestlers from the back to congratulate him on his win.
Athena keeps title run alive with tough battle against Hikaru Shida
Athena put her more than 400-day title reign as ROH Women’s World Champion on the line in the co-main event spot, facing Hikaru Shida. She was able to maintain her status as champ, although it didn’t come easy. After 22 minutes, Athena was able to deliver her finishing move to defeat former AEW champ Shida.
Athena was working the left knee of Shida early in the match, which the commentary mentioned has been a weakness of her recently. Shida scored a hard backbreaker early to gain some momentum. She landed a punch after running off the ropes and then scored a suplex for a two-count. Shida hit a running knee in the corner. She tried for another, but Athena followed her and countered with a hard elbow in a corner.
The match went outside of the ring, where Shida caught Athena with a flying knee. Shida and Athena traded strikes back in the ring. Athena got out of the exchange with a pair of suplexes. Athena climbed to the top and tried for her finisher, but Shida caught it and stopped the move. Shida tried for a kick but was put into an ankle lock. Shida eventually reached the ropes to escape the submission. Athena tried to dive onto the ramp where Shida was but ate a knee to the head while coming through the ropes. On the apron, Athena tried for a piledriver. Shida put Athena on her back and connected with a piledriver of her own.
Shida landed double knees to the head off the top for a near fall. Athena went off the second rope with a codebreaker and then hit a double knees, but Shida kicked out at one right after. Athena spun Shida by her head for a moment, but Shida escaped and landed a slam. Athena then kicked out at one.
Shida slapped Athena then tried for a pin with a hurricanrana. After a pair of roll-up pin attempts, Athena grabbed Shida for a powerbomb. She kept a hold of Shida after the powerbomb and continued to hold her after Shida hurricanrana’d them to outside of the ring. Athena then landed a brutal powerbomb on the floor. This was one of the more impressive spots in the match, as Shida and Athena were able to follow a position to outside of the ring for the powerbomb.
Athena hit her Eclipse finishing move off the top, but Shida kicked out at two. Athena went to the top but was stopped by Shida. Shida picked Athena up onto her shoulders and then dropped her onto the top turnbuckle. She then landed her spinning knee strike, Katana, for a close near fall. The crowd seemed quite shocked by this kickout.
Shida had another knee caught by Athena. After trading slaps, Shida landed a german suplex and a clothesline. Athena dodged a knee strike, then scored a thrust kick and forearm. Athena went to the top, landing her finisher once again to win in 22 minutes. The win means that Athena’s reign will likely surpass 500 days, continuing one of the longest title runs in the promotion’s history.
Dalton Castle overcomes Johnny TV in 22-minute ‘Fight Without Honor’
In a true grudge match, Dalton Castle faced Johnny TV in a “Fight Without Honor.” A match between Johnny and Castle has been in development on ROH TV for weeks, through backstage segments and matches.
It didn’t take long for the match to go outside of the ring. Castle chased Johnny around the ring but had one of his hands stomped while trying to climb onto the ramp. After a brief moment back in the ring, they continued to fight at ringside. Castle sent Johnny flying across the outside area with a hurricanrana. Taya Valkyrie, who was at ringside in support of Johnny, held Castle’s leg while he was on the ring apron, allowing Johnny to score a head kick.
Johnny set up a table outside of the ring. Castle battled to get a chair out of Johnny’s hands but was immediately hit with a kendo stick that Johnny was handed by Valkyrie. Johnny having help at ringside and Castle not having that same consistent ally became a trend in this match. Johnny continued to hit Castle with a kendo stick in the ring. Johnny dodged a kendo stick swing from Castle, then came into the ring to try and land a flying move. Castle dodged and then scored with a pair of slams.
Castle grabbed a kendo stick and started to wail away with shots. Valkyrie dragged Johnny out of the ring to buy him a moment. Valkyrie threw a white powder in Castle’s face when he came outside the ring and then used a leafblower to push him behind the commentary desk.
Castle was thrown onto the ring apron but tried to spin around for a hurricanrana. Johnny caught him on his neck and threw him through the table that was set up earlier. Johnny landed his Starship Pain finisher back in the ring but didn’t get the win.
Johnny trapped Castle’s head in a chair and then snapped a kendo stick on his neck for another two-count. After stacking numerous chairs on Castle, Johnny climbed to the top. Castle got to his feet while Johnny was on the ropes and hit him with a kendo stick. Castle lifted Johnny out of the corner for a german suplex.
Johnny rolled to the outside once again. Castle called for one of his boys to come to the ring. One after another, Boys came to Castle’s aid and were tossed outside of the ring for a tope suicida onto Johnny. Some of these dives looked better than others. One of the last Boys didn’t fully make the jump (although it seemed intentional), allowing Johnny to regain his composure. Jack Cartwheel, dressed as a Boy, came out next and did a dive to the outside.
Back in the ring, Johnny beat up Castle with a kendo stick. Castle was rolled outside of the ring before Johnny could connect with another Starship Pain. Johnny adjusted and did a dive to the outside, landing on Castle and all of the Boys. Golden Globe winner Paul Walter Hauser, dressed as a Boy, came into the ring and landed a pop-up powerbomb to Johnny. The Boys outside of the ring carried Valkyrie to the backstage, taking her out of the equation.
Hauser and Castle poured thumbtacks into the middle of the ring. Hauser tossed Johnny to Castle, who hit his Bang-A-Rang finisher onto the tacks to finish the match.
An unexpected trio responds to Bullet Club Gold’s open challenge
In a development that wasn’t expected for this card, Bullet Club Gold came out and announced that they would put their ROH Six-Man Tag Team Championships on the line in an open challenge. Answering their challenge was the Monstersauce duo of Alex Zayne and Lance Archer, which is often seen in NJPW. They were joined by their special extra teammate, Minoru Suzuki.
White and Suzuki started the match. White called Suzuki old school, and described himself as a “new shooter.” Suzuki put him in a sleeper, although the Gunns dragged White out of the ring to save him from the hold. Austen Gunn was in next, trying to hurt Suzuki with punches and slaps. After not reacting to and of Austen’s shots, Suzuki dropped him with a right forearm.
A similar spot was seen later in the match, with Archer this time taking out Cotlen. Zayne and Archer had a big double team moment against The Gunns. Archer chokeslammed Zayne onto Austen. Archer tried for his finishing move, but Austen escaped.
Zayne got the hot tag later in the match after Suzuki had an exchange with White. Zayne scored a big hurricanrana off the top rope and then landed a side slam for a near fall. Zayne went back to the top but came up empty on a splash. White tried for a Blade Runner, but Suzuki came into the ring with a sleeper hold. The Gunns took Suzuki and threw him into the barricade. Archer chokeslammed White. The Gunns came into the ring and hit their double team finishing move, but were then hit by a double dropkick off the top by Zayne. White was able to capitalize off a distracted Zayne to then score his Blade Runner for the win.
The Acclaimed did a run-in on Bullet Club Gold after the match, causing a brawl that the champs were able to narrowly escape.
Billie Starkz uses cheap tactic to become first-ever ROH women’s TV champ
The lengthy single-elimination tournament to crown ROH’s first-ever women’s TV champ culminated on Friday night, as Billie Starkz and Queen Aminata faced off in the bracket’s finals.
Aminata scored a massive kick three minutes into the fight, punting Starkz after coming off the ropes. They battled at ringside, with Aminata throwing Starkz back into the ring after landing chops to the chest. Starkz avoided a hip attack in the corner, then scored a two-count with a clothesline. Aminata earned a two-count of her own roughly a minute later after hitting Starkz with a running knee strike.
A few minutes of the fight were really close, with Starkz and Aminata taking turns with blows. It felt like Starkz and Aminata were being shown as two really skilled fighters who were around the same level as each other. After escaping a move on the ropes, Starkz did a tope suicida to the outside. Starkz tried for a move on the apron Aminata evaded it. Aminata landed a german suplex on the mat, then rolled Starkz back into the ring.
Aminata went to the top and hit a Swanton Bomb, but Starkz kicked out at one from the move. Aminata hit an Air Raid Crash for a two-count. Aminata scored a running hip attack in the corner and then followed it up with a head kick. She had strung together quite a few moves at this point and looked to be closing in on a win.
Both on the ropes in a corner of the ring, Aminata and Starkz traded strikes. Starkz kicked Aminata to the canvas and tried for a Swanton Bomb of her own, but Aminata put her knees up to counter. Starkz was screaming in pain after this move and was being checked out by a ringside referee.
Starkz was helped to her feet by two ringside officials. If it had not been for the numerous close-up shots of her during this exchange, it might have been seen as a convincing, legitimate injury. As she was being helped to the ropes, Starkz broke out of her injured character and suddenly hit a german suplex. She then applied a sleeper hold that put Aminata out and ended the match. Starkz is your first-ever women’s TV champ.
The Undisputed Kingdom call a friend to help retain
ROH’s tag titles were on the line, with The Undisputed Kingdom’s Matt Taven and Mike Bennett facing The Infantry’s Carlie Bravo and Shawn Dean. This match was Taven and Bennett’s second appearance since earning the titles on an episode of AEW Dynamite near the end of 2023.
The match went onto the rampway of the stage just a few minutes into the fight. Taven set up a table outside the ring right next to the stage. Dean was hit with a double team piledriver from The Undisputed Kingdom on the ramp. Back in the ring, Bravo was beaten down by Taven and Bennett. The Undisputed Kingdom was frequently making tags and keeping him isolated. Dean eventually got a hot tag, essentially battling Taven and Bennett in a two-on-one scenario.
The Infantry hit their Boot Camp double team move on Taven, although Bennett broke up the pin attempt. Bennett brought Dean back to the outside and attempted to put him through a table, but Bravo stopped him. The Infantry slammed Bennett down in a double team move. Taven got into the mix, hitting Dean with a Climax.
Taven tried to put Bravo on the table but ended up being the one laid out. Bravo did a big dive off the ramp, landing on Taven and going through a table. Dean tried for a frogsplash in the ring and looked for a pin, but the referee was busy checking on Taven and Bravo outside of the ring. Wardlow came in from the crowd and hit Dean with a clothesline, causing Bennett to win via pinfall and retain. Wardlow’s run-in and the table spot received a large reaction from the crowd, but it was otherwise there were many painfully quiet moments during the bout.
‘Team Shirakawa’ wins in STARDOM showcase
A showcase of STARDOM talents took place in the next match, as the team of Mei Seira, Mina Shirakawa and Maiko faced AZM, Saya Kamitani and Tam Nakano. This match was arguably a testament to ROH/AEW’s hopes to collaborate with STARDOM in the future. These six wrestlers were appearing for the second time this week, as STARDOM hosted their own show at the 2300 Arena on Thursday. Maika in particular had one of the highlights of Thursday’s events, overcoming Megan Bayne in the main event of that card.
Seira gave somewhat of a hot tag to Maika in the third minute, earning the tag after enduring a beatdown from AZM and Nakano. Kamitani came in to stop her momentum, trying for a double team suplex on Maika. That move was reversed, with Maika landing a double suplex instead. Maika eventually found herself in the same position as Seira was, getting picked apart by “Team AZM.”
Maika regained momentum after a series of run-ins from illegal wrestlers. She tried to lift up AZM for a suplex but had it reversed. AZM came off the ropes but was caught and tossed. AZM got up immediately and landed a head kick to take Maika out. AZM collapsed after scoring with the kick, allowing for a double hot tag that brought in Shirakawa and Kamitani.
Shirakawa and Kamitani had a lengthy duel to end the match, giving both wrestlers a big spotlight.
Kamitani landed a spinning wheel kick on Shirakawa after a back-and-forth duel. After her teammates came in to land kicks on Shirakawa, Kamitani connected with a bridging suplex for a near fall. Shirakawa was able to regain momentum: After landing a double team move with Maika and scoring with another move, she tried for a figure four. AZM broke up the submission attempt.
Nakano flew off the top rope to the outside of the ring onto four wrestlers. Back in the ring, Kamitani hit Shirakara with a cross body off the ropes. After a series of counters, Kamitani landed a bridging german suplex for a two count. Shirakawa scored with a spinning backfist for another near fall. Off the ropes, Shirakawa ate a hurricanrana from Kamitani but kicked out. A roll-up pin from Kamitani was broken up. Kamitani scored a huge big boot onto Shirakawa, who was charging into her. Shirakawa got up immediately after and landed her own kick for a near fall. Shirakawa then ended the match with a Glorius Driver Mina for the win in 14 minutes.
Mariah May, who competed on the pre-show, came out to see Shirakawa after the match. She broke out champagne to celebrate with Shirakawa and her team to end the segment.
Kyle Fletcher defends TV title against tough Lee Johnson
The first of four title fights kicked off the main card, as ROH World Television Champion Kyle Fletcher took on Lee Johnson. This match was Fletcher’s first major appearance since earning the title at Final Battle last year in a six-way Survival of the Fittest match.
The first big move from Fletcher came just over four minutes in, catching Johnson with a hard elbow to the head as he came off the ropes. Johnson responded, landing a pair of chops in the corner and then dumping Fletcher to the outside. He then went for a dive over the ropes, landing on Fletcher near the commentary table.
They continued to brawl outside of the ring. Johnson was thrown over the ringside barricade, dumping him on the concrete floor near the fans. Fletcher joined him in the seating area, setting up a chair to cannonball over the barricade and land on Johnson. Fletcher took Johnson back into the ring and landed a crafty suplex for a two-count.
Johnson started to crawl back into the match, landing a series of slaps and then coming off the ropes for a neckbreaker. He got a two-count for scoring a standing moonsault on Fletcher. Fletcher scored with a suplex after a series of counters. Fletcher came charging at Johnson, but Johnson was able to counter and eventually land a Blue Thunder Bomb. Fletcher connected with a thrust kick and then climbed to the top, but was slowed by Johnson.
Johnson got up onto the ropes with Fletcher. Fletcher grabbed a hold of Johnson and brought him onto the canvas with a Falcon Arrow. He then reversed a piledriver attempt into a hurricanrana for a near fall. Johnson scored a pair of kicks and then climbed to the top rope. Fletcher got up and kicked the ropes, causing Johnson to go tumbling down to the canvas. Fletcher hit a running kick into the corner and then a brainbuster for a two count. After not getting the pinfall, Fletcher successfully got Johnson down with a powerbomb, but that was also kicked out of. Fletcher looked defeated after trying so many times to take Johnson out.
Fletcher tried for a piledriver on the apron, but Johnson reversed and dropped Fletcher onto his back. Both wrestlers had to beat a near fall, barely getting into the ring before the 20-count. Fletcher and Johnson traded punches back in the ring. Fletcher landed a snap German suplex, and Johnson responded with a poisonrana. Fletcher caught Johnson with a head kick as he came into the ropes, then landed a piledriver. While it looked like the match was going to end here, Johnson kicked out.
Fletcher put Johnson on the top rope. He attempted a superplex, but Johnson instead scored a Canadian Destroyer. He then hit a pair of Frogsplashes, with Fletcher kicking out after the second one. The crowd was a little quiet near the start of this match but was certainly more into it at this point.
Johnson tried for a move but was instead thrown head-first into a middle turnbuckle. Fletcher scored another running kick, then put Johnson on the top rope to hit a brainbuster onto the top turnbuckle for the win. While Fletcher had an impressive performance, as usual, this match was a clear spotlight on Johnson and his toughness as a character.
Mariah May, The Beast Mortos among ‘Zero Hour’ winners
In a busy hour of wrestling, four matches took place as part of the free “Zero Hour” kick-off show.
The headlining bout of the pre-show saw Mariah May overcome STARDOM’s Momo Kohgo. This match was the shortest of four on the kickoff but was action-packed from start to finish. A back-and-forth battle eventually went the way of May. She landed a clean knee strike to a kneeling Kohgo, which commentator Ian Riccaboni said was called “It’s Gonna Be May,” ending the match.
In a grudge match, Angelico and Serpentico faced Griff Garrison and Cole Karter, who were accompanied by Maria Kanellis. The storyline around this match was the fact that Garrison and Karter stole a mask of Serpentico’s and were still parading it around as a way to taunt him.
Garrison and Karter got a jump on the Spanish Announce Project early, attacking them during their entrance. Serpentico fought a large amount of the front half of the match, leading to an eventual hot tag to Angelico. After a strong combo of moves from him, Garrison broke up a pin attempt that came following a Swanton Bomb. Serpentico hit a double Flatliner to Garrison and Karter. Maria tried to enter the ring with a steel chair, but the referee threw out the weapon and tossed her from the match.
Maria threw Serpentico’s stolen mask on the ramp. Angelico went and grabbed the mask, but was tripped by Garrison right after. In the ring, Karter and Serpentico battled with roll-up pin attempts. The match went near the ropes at one point, allowing Garrison to rip a mask off Serpentico. Garrison then scored a roll-up pin on a thrown-off Serpentico to win the match.
The Beast Mortos (formerly known as Black Taurus) made his second-ever ROH appearance, meeting Blake Christian on Zero Hour. Before Friday, Mortos’ sole ROH appearance was a loss to El Hijo de Vikingo at last year’s Final Battle card. Christian and Mortos fought in a fast-paced eight-minute match, including the usually impressive high-flying moments from Christian. Late in the match, Mortos reversed a move from Christian to land a slam off the top rope. He followed that up with a pumphandle piledriver to earn the pinfall victory.
After the match, Komander and Alex Abrahantes appeared on stage and were shown cheering Mortos for his victory.
ROH wasted no time to kick off the show, with a six-man tag match taking place just moments after Zero Hour went to air. In front of a crowd that was clearly still packing into the venue, the team of Tony Nese, Josh Woods and Ariya Daivari defeated Adam Priest, Rhett Titus and Tony Deppen. A triple-team move ended the bout, as Deppen was powerbombed and then given a pair of flying punches.
ROH Supercard of Honor Results
Zero Hour
- Tony Nese, Josh Woods and Ariya Daivari def. Adam Priest, Rhett Titus and Tony Deppen (8:17)
- The Beast Mortos def. Blake Christian (8:40)
- Griff Garrison & Cole Karter def. Angelico & Serpentico (8:32)
- Mariah May def. Momo Kohgo (6:13)
Main PPV Card
- Kyle Fletcher def. Lee Johnson (ROH World Television Championship) (19:49)
- Maika, Mina Shirakawa & Mei Seira def. AZM, Saya Kamitani & Tam Nakano (14:25)
- The Undisputed Kingdom (Matt Taven & Mike Bennett) def. The Infantry (Carlie Bravo & Shawn Dean) (ROH World Tag Team Championships) (13:47)
- Billie Starkz def. Queen Aminata (ROH Women’s World Television Championship Tournament Final) (17:42)
- Bullet Club Gold (Jay White, Austen Gunn, Colten Gunn) def. Monstersauce (Alex Zayne & Lance Archer) & Minoru Suzuki (ROH World Six-Man Tag Team Championships) (15:16)
- Dalton Castle def. Johnny TV (Fight With Honor) (22:04)
- Athena def. Hikaru Shida (ROH Women’s World Championship) (22:32)
- Mark Briscoe def. Eddie Kingston (ROH World Championship) (24:13)
