Dalton Castle will do it for The Boys!

After weeks of obsessing, and after being faced with a tough decision. Dalton Castle gets his match with Johnny TV, with The Boys on the line! Will Castle SMASH Johnny’s face in once and for all?

OFFICIAL RESULTS

• ROH Women’s World Television Championship Tournament, Quarterfinal: Taya Valkyrie w/ Johnny TV VS Queen Aminata; Aminata wins and advances.
• Lee Johnson VS Mike Sydal; Johnson wins.
• Komander w/ Alex Abrahantes VS Blake Christian; Komander wins.
• Taiji Ishimori VS Jacoby Watts; Taiji wins.
• Custody of The Boys: Dalton Castle VS Johnny TV w/ Taya Valkyrie; Johnny wins and takes custody of The Boys.

PLAY BY PLAY

ROH Women’s World Television Championship Tournament, Quarterfinal: Taya Valkyrie w/ Johnny TV VS Queen Aminata!

La Wera Loca says this tournament and that title belong to her, but she’s up against the Queen of Guinea! Will the One and Only African Woman Wrestler in ROH & AEW take one step closer to history? Or will nothing stop Mrs. TV from being TV Champion?

The Code of Honor is upheld, the bell rings, and the fans rally up. Taya taunts Aminata as they get face to face, but then Aminata stands tall to be head, shoulders and chest above! The fans fire up, Aminata reels Taya into a headlock, then hits a takeover. Taya moves around, fights up to her feet, and slips out to hammerlock then headlock and takeover. Aminata headscissors, Taya moves around, and Taya pops free to then get a headlock back. Aminata fights up, powers out the back and steps over to twerk attack! Aminata then wrenches, headlocks and grinds. Taya puts Aminata in a corner, the ref counts, and Taya lets off.

Taya swings but Aminata ducks! Aminata then ROCKS Taya in the corner! And CHOPS! And ROCKS her again! And CHOPS her again! Aminata ROCKS Taya one more time, but Taya avoids the double chop to CHOP! Taya eggs Aminata on but Aminata dodges, fakes the chop and body shots! Aminata whips corner to corner, runs up and hip attacks! Taya sits down, the fans fire up and Aminata twerks into the HIP- NO, Taya dodges and says hecc no! Johnny says Taya’s too smart for that. Aminata storms out after Taya, Taya slides in and Johnny distracts Aminata. Taya DECKS Aminata and Johnny catches her!

Taya is confused, and then both Johnny and Aminata freak out. They tell the other not to touch them, but Taya WRECKS Aminata with a dropkick! Aminata falls, Taya stomps away and says do not touch her man! Taya and Johnny then kiss, and Taya drags Aminata up. Taya brings Aminata around to whip her into railing hard! Aminata sits down and Johnny starts a “Taya! Taya!” chant. Taya slides into the ring but slides out to refresh the count. Taya runs in, but Aminata dodges to send Taya into railing! Aminata storms back up but Taya kicks low. Taya snap suplexes Aminata to the floor!

Aminata writhes while Taya mockingly chants for her. Taya then brings Aminata up and brings her around, to CHOP her against the apron! Taya pushes Aminata in the ring, stomps her, then pushes her around to grab the legs. Taya ties up the legs, pulls hair, but then shifts to the QUEEN ANGELITO! The fans rally for Aminata as she endures and reaches out. Aminata claws her way forward to the ROPEBREAK! The ref counts, Taya lets go, and Aminata grits her teeth as she rises up. Taya runs up but into an elbow! Taya tries again but Aminata ELBOWS again! Taya tries a third time, Aminata goes up and over to sunset flip! TWO!

Taya stands and SPEARS Aminata down! Cover, TWO!! Aminata survives and the fans fire up! Taya has a wild grin but she’s frustrated. “This is your queen?” The fans cheer but Taya mocks them. Taya SPANKS Aminata, drags her up, and the fans chant “She’s Our Queen!” Taya CLUBS Aminata, reels her in, but Aminata fights around to waistlock and GERMAN SUPLEX! The fans fire up while both women are down! Johnny coaches Taya as a standing count starts. Both women rise, stand at 5 of 10, and Taya throws a forearm! Aminata hits back! Taya throws another, so Aminata ROCKS her right back!

Taya fires a flurry of forearms, then winds up, but Aminata wrenches and snap suplexes! Then LARIATS! Then clinches, spins, snapmares and runs, PENALTY KICK! The fans fire up with Aminata while Taya flounders to a corner. Aminata runs side to side to BOOT WASH! Aminata goes corner to corner now, for the HIP ATTACK! The fans fire up again, Aminata covers, TWO!! Taya survives and Aminata grows frustrated. Johnny coaches Taya but the fans rally for Aminata. Aminata drags Taya up, fisherman, but Taya slips free to kick, KICK and LARIAT! Taya roars and Aminata rises. Aminata swings, Taya gets under, BLUE THUNDER BOMB! Cover, TWO!!

Aminata is still in this but Taya still has that wild look in her eyes. Taya gets the legs but Aminata kicks her away! Aminata runs up but Taya BOOTS her! Taya reels Aminata in to underhook, lift and BUTTERFLY BUSTER! Cover, TWO!! Taya is shocked that Aminata survives but the fans are thunderous! Aminata goes to ropes, Taya runs in, but into a BOOT! Aminata ROCKS Taya with a forearm, rolls her up, TWO! Aminata hurries to HEADBUTT!! Cover, AMINATA WINS!!

Winner: Queen Aminata, by pinfall (advances to the semifinals)

Aminata just brought down a former champion and is in the Final Four! Will Aminata continue to knock people out of this tournament to finally have her crowning moment?

Lexi Nair is on stage.

She says, “Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention please. Your ROH Women’s World Champion, Athena, and Billie Starkz have called an emergency MEM (Minion Empowerment Meeting).” And now, Athena & Billie walk out on stage. The fans cheer and Athena smiles as she still has the title around her waist. Athena says, “Hello, Minions.” “Hi~, Athena.” “I said HELLO~ Minions~!” The fans cheer, and Athena says it is very important we start off with this bit of information. She’s read the comments online, everything they had to say about MIT, the Athena family, and how they are falling apart.

Athena thinks it is finally time to address the problem. Lexi Nair! Huh!? Athena says if Lexi doesn’t stop chasing Dalton Castle and every hack around the back, she will take her fist and… Y’know what? Lexi’s place is next to Billie, next to Athena, does she understand? Y-Yes! Athena then smiles and says to business. Last week, Athena was in a historic Best 2 Outta 3 Falls Tables match for her ROH Women’s World Championship. And to be honest, Nyla Rose took Athena to the limit, she presented challenges that Athena didn’t know she’d have to deal with. Nyla was the embodiment of chaos, and showed us why she is a former AEW Women’s World Champion.

The fans do applaud but Athena says also last week, Athena YEETED that hussy right through a table! Didn’t she? The fans applaud and Billie adds, “But what about me last week? I won my first round match last week against Robyn.” The fans do cheer and Athena says yeah, but Robyn Renegade isn’t what Athena would really call… competition. Y-Yeah, but Billie also gets Diamante in the second round. Right… And Billie thinks she can beat “Diabla” without Athena motivating her? Yeah, Billie’s gonna win by herself! The fans cheer and Athena asks Lexi if she thinks Billie can do this.

Lexi nervously says yeah, duh! Athena asks the “Minion Mafia,” do they think Billie can win it all? “YES!” Well then, Billie. You better win the ROH Women’s World TV Championship, or else. Because this is THEIR year, this is the Year of MIT, of Minion Bestie, of Minion 400,237 and three-quarters! And most of all, this is the Year of the Fallen Goddess, the ROH Gatekeeper, the Minion Overlord, the American Joshi, and most of all the inspiration for every woman’s division! This right here is HER show! With HER rules! And if you don’t like that, you can step up, or step out. Mic drop moment and the family heads out. Will Billie bring home the gold to stand beside Athena?

Taiji Ishimori VS Jacoby Watts!

It’s a great surprise return to ROH for the Bone Soldier Reborn! Will Taiji prove that Bullet Club is still Too Sweet even as ROH is reborn?

The Code of Honor is skipped as Taiji kicks Jacoby’s hand away. Jacoby takes a swing, Taiji dodges and claws the eyes! The ref reprimands, Taiji whips but Jacoby reverses! Taiji goes out, slides under, slips around and RAMS into Jacoby. Taiji then springboards to SEATED SENTON! The fans fire up with Taiji as he looms over Jacoby. Taiji fist drops Jacoby, then NECK TWISTS him! Jacoby writhes, the fans rally behind “Bone Soldier! Bone Soldier!” Taiji drags Jacoby up for a NECKBREAKER! Cover, TWO! Jacoby stays in this but Taiji keeps cool. The fans cheer as Taiji paces around. Taiji goes to a corner then climbs up.

Jacoby stands, Taiji leaps at him, CROSSBODY but Jacoby catches him! Swing and END OF DAYS! Taiji flounders to a corner, Jacoby runs up to fire off haymakers! The ref counts, Jacoby lets off, and then Jacoby whips corner to corner. Jacoby winds up and runs in place, then runs in to clothesline! Jacoby keeps moving and LARIATS Taiji down! Cover, TWO! Taiji survives and the fans rally up. Jacoby stomps Taiji, drags him up, but Taiji kicks low. Taiji claws eyes, whips, but Jacoby reverses. Taiji handsprings to NEURALIZER! Both men are down and the fans rally up again. Taiji goes to ropes and he takes aim, BANG!

Taiji reels Jacoby in but Jacoby fights out of the half hatch. Taiji UPPERCUTS, runs, but Jacoby scoops! Taiji claws eyes and slips free to then wrench, tilt-o-whirl and LA MYSTICA, into BONE LOCK!! Jacoby taps, Taiji wins!

Winner: Taiji Ishimori, by submission

The Bone Soldier brings down Jacoby and has his first win back in ROH. Will he stick around to see if it turns into a title opportunity?

Queen Aminata speaks.

“Listen, guys. I told you The Queen would beat Taya, and I actually beat Taya. Y’know, I have to say, that wasn’t easy. My neck is sore, my back feels like crap right now, I don’t feel very juicy. But at the end of the day, this tournament started with 16 women, and I know it will end with only one woman. And that one woman will be the one and only Queen Aminata.” The Queen is ready to win it all now that she got past Mrs. TV, will Aminata soon be the Queen of TV?

Custody of The Boys: Dalton Castle VS Johnny TV w/ Taya Valkyrie!

The Peacock has been so obsessed with revenge on the Guru of Greatness for ruining his shot at the ROH World Television Championship, he was ready to do anything to get this chance. Sadly, Johnny used that, and now he wants to take away the two things that mean more to Castle than anything in the world! Will Brandon & Brent have no choice but to leave their Castle? Or will Castle prove once and for all he is more than TV Ready?

Wait, The Iron Savages are here? And Jacked Jameson says they’ve got a little something to help. It’s the Savage Sauce! We all saw how that stuff pepped The Peacock up a month or so ago, and he can definitely use the pick-up! Castle chugs the sauce and he is ALL fired up! “Let’s go break some hearts!” Castle has wanted nothing more in his entire life to SMASH Johnny TV! He gives the Boys a sample of the sauce, and now Castle is feeling the magma flowing through his veins! Castle is back to his old self for the time being, but will he be able to hold onto his Boys?

The introductions are made, the Boys’ hands are raised, and we see who brings ’em home!

The Code of Honor is skipped and the bell rings. Castle and Johnny circle, Johnny ends up in a corner but he dodges Castle’s lunge. Johnny rolls, resets and circles with Castle again. Castle corners Johnny this time, but then Johnny escapes. Johnny lounges on the corner, Castle runs in but Johnny gets away again. Johnny says he can do this all day. But then Castle gets a leg and trips him! Johnny scrambles to the ROPEBREAK! The ref counts but Castle waistlocks Johnny to a corner. The ref pries Castle away and Johnny bails out. Taya protests, that sauce should count as an illegal performance enhancer!

Taya whispers something to Johnny before he slides back in. Johnny and Castle circle, Johnny kicks but Castle blocks, so Johnny pokes him in the eye! Johnny then shoots around to CLUB Castle on the back! Castle bails out, The Boys fans him off, and Taya taunts them all. Castle scowls at Taya but storms back up the steps. Taya tells him, “Get in the ring, loser!” But Castle hops down and he gets the fans fired up! Castle then gets back in, he blocks a punch to CHOP and CHOP and CHOP! Castle whips corner to corner, Johnny reverses and runs in, but Castle pops him up! Johnny holds ropes to stop the Bangarang!

Castle lets Johnny go but then Johnny DUMPS him out! The Boys fan Castle but Johnny goes out to SHINING WIZARD! Johnny hopes they caught that on camera. Then he tells The Boys to come this way. Johnny forces the Boys to back up, and Taya takes a new family selfie! The ref reprimands, this is not the time! The ref takes Taya’s phone away and says they’re not a real family so stop it. But then Johnny sends The Boys at Castle! The Boys stop from colliding with Castle, and Castle gets in. Johnny runs in, handsprings, but into an EXPLODER! The fans fire up as Castle KNEES Johnny down!

Johnny staggers up, Castle bumps him off buckles! And then off more buckles! Castle reels Johnny in for a DDT! The fans fire up with Castle as he rises up. Castle drags Johnny up, reels him in, but Johnny shoves him away. Castle runs back up but Johnny ducks the lariat, only for Castle to LARIAT on return! The fans chant “For The Boys!” while Johnny bails out. Castle pursues but Taya blocks the way! And then Johnny RAMS Castle into railing! The fans rally for Castle while Johnny mockingly pats him on the head. Castle ROCKS Johnny! Taya again stands in the way and says kiss this! Johnny then uses that to POMMEL HORSE KICK Castle!

Taya laughs at Castle while fans boo, but Johnny grins as he tells the Boys, go ahead, fan Castle while they can. Then Johnny whips Castle into steel steps! Taya mockingly asks Castle what’s wrong while Johnny refreshes the count. Johnny KICKS Castle low! And FLAPJACKS Castle off barriers! The fans boo while Johnny shoves Castle in. Johnny brings Castle up, turns him, NECKBREAKER! Johnny grins, strikes a pose, but the fans still rally behind Castle. Johnny cravats for a neck wrench and The Boys keep the fans going. Castle endures, fights up, and he throws body shots! Johnny CLUBS Castle down!

Johnny winds up, aims, but Castle blocks the haymaker to BACK ELBOW! And LARIAT! The fans fire up again and Castle shoots in to clinch and EXPLODER! Johnny staggers back up, into another EXPLODER! Castle has Johnny again, EXPLODER! The hattrick is complete, and the fans rally as Castle clinches for a fourth! The Suplex Peacock is unleashed, and he watches Johnny flounder around. Castle BOOTS Johnny, then GERMAN SUPLEXES! High stack cover, TWO! Johnny survives being thrown around and the fans rally up again. Castle gets around Johnny and hooks an arm so he can throw ELBOWS into the ribs!

Johnny sputters, Castle drags him up, and says time to smash his face! Castle fireman’s carries but Johnny slips free! MOONLIGHT DRIVE! Cover, TWO!! Castle survives and the fans fire up! Johnny is frustrated, Taya coaches him up, and he drags Castle up with a waistlock. Castle slips out the back, waistlocks, but Johnny RAMS him into the corner! Johnny ELBOWS Castle, but Castle BOOTS him back! Castle back suplexes Johnny onto the ropes! Johnny lands on his Mr. Belvedere! The fans chant “No More Babies!” and Castle SAIDOS Johnny off the ropes! Cover, TWO!! Johnny survives and Castle cannot believe it!

Castle drags Johnny up but Johnny ROCKS him with a forearm! Johnny crawls away but Castle grabs a leg! Johnny throws an elbow to get free, but Castle keeps pursuing. Johnny kicks Castle away, drags himself up the ropes, but Castle runs in. Johnny BOOTS him, goes up the corner, and he brings Castle in, but Castle UPPERCUTS him! Castle has Johnny in the crucifix, for a BLACKOUT DRIVER?!? Taya freaks out and throws a Boy into the ring! The ref is busy with, uh, Brent perhaps, while Castle covers! Castle would’ve won by now!! The fans boo and the ref sees it now! Cover, TWO!! Johnny survives because of the delay!

Taya shouts for Johnny to get up, and he flounders up on the apron. Castle storms up but Johnny kicks him low! Johnny laughs, climbs, but Castle kicks out his legs! Castle goes to the adjacent corner and the apron. Castle runs in, but Johnny avoid the boot! Johnny swings, Castle counter punches! But Taya anchors Castle while Johnny distracts the ref ! “This is Awesome!” even as Johnny grabs at Castle over the corner! Johnny drags Castle up using a chinlock, and they go to the top rope. But Castle DECKS Johnny onto the Boys! The ref is again distracted and Taya SHOVES Castle down!! Castle flounders up, into a GAMANGIRI!

Johnny goes to the corner, for the STARSHIP PAIN!! Cover, Johnny wins!!

Winner: Johnny TV, by pinfall (acquires custody of The Boys)

The decision should really say Johnny AND Taya won, because they worked together to screw Castle over! For the second time in his life, Castle must give up The Boys to another! The Last Real Man used The Boys against Castle, will Mr. & Mrs. TV do the same in the 2024 remake no one wanted?

My Thoughts:

A great episode of ROH here, mostly because it was only a little over an hour. I probably could’ve done all the matches because of that, but oh well. Still good to see Mike Sydal back in action, though good win for Lee Johnson off him. And Komander VS Blake turned out to be some great stuff, too. But I got the important tournament match, and how great for Aminata to win, she’s definitely going to be a finalist. And after the really good promo from Athena, Billie & Lexi, Billie is of course going to be the other. Athena adding that “or else” was a nice touch, and oddly makes me think Billie loses so that we get Athena VS Billie 2 down the line, and that is where Billie wins the world title so Athena can move up/over to AEW.

Great to see Taiji in ROH, though of course he was gonna squash Jacoby. Not sure what more this is about other than maybe just a stop over while Taiji also (probably?) visits NJPW Strong. And great main event out of Castle VS Johnny. I had a feeling Johnny was going to win because that would be the more intriguing story. Johnny & Taya are going to force The Boys to adopt a more “TV Ready” style, like sunglasses and fur coats. I expect Castle to be even more distraught and out of it than he was the whole time during this story build, and maybe there’s a rematch to get The Boys back for Supercard of Honor in April. That would be a big moment for ROH’s answer to WrestleMania Weekend.

My Score: 8.7/10