Step onto the Proving Ground!

After defeating Lee Johnson, Kyle Fletcher is still ROH World Television Champion! But will he soon owe Rhett Titus a shot at the title?

OFFICIAL RESULTS

• Isiah Kassidy w/ Marq Quen VS Action Andretti; Action wins.
• Shane Taylor Promotions VS Kaz Jordan & Julian Ward; STP wins.
• Nyla Rose VS Kat Von Heez; Nyla wins.
• Cole Karter VS Christopher Daniels; Daniels wins.
• The Righteous VS Bryce Donavan & Chico Adams; The Righteous win.
• Anna Jay VS LMK; Anna wins.
• Zak Knight VS Alvin Alverez; Zak wins.
• ROH World Television Championship Proving Ground Match: Kyle Fletcher VS Rhett Titus; Kyle wins and denies Rhett a title match.

PLAY BY PLAY

ROH hears from Mark Briscoe and Eddie Kingston.

It was after Supercard of Honor when the NEW ROH World Champion and the former sat down backstage, iced up and having some cold ones. They cheer, kampai, salud, all that. Mark says they still like each other, so think about that. If this is what they do to friends, then House of Black, y’all’re in trouble. AEW Dynasty, Mark & Eddie have the wild man, Big Cope! Eddie laughs at House of Black. They think they’re crazy cuz they play in the dark. Evil SOBs, they are. But they’re in for a long night! Look what they did to each other when they’re friends! They don’t like or even respect House of Black!

Eddie respects Mark, look how he made Mark bleed! Mark likes Eddie, look what he did back! C’mon, now. Get outta here. Y’all’re on some different stuff, God bless your hearts. See y’all in St. Louis.

Isiah Kassidy w/ Marq Quen VS Action Andretti!

Private Party and Top Flight continue to have beef, and that’s bringing Kassidy & Quen to ROH! Brother Zay wants to get title “Shots! Shots! Shots!” but will he get the party going towards The Kingdom? Or will the Sight to See help put his team in pole position?

The bell rings, the Code of Honor is upheld, but then Zay kicks low and CLUBS away! Zay asks, “This your boy!?” The fans boo Zay but he fires forearms on Action. Zay wrenches, whips, but Action goes up and over! Action keeps moving, ducks ‘n’ dodges to tilt-o-whirl RANA! And then DROPKICK! Action kips up, the fans fire up, and Action IMPLODER TORNILLOS! Cover, TWO! Zay stays in this and Quen coaches him, but the fans rally. Action drags Zay up, UPPERCUTS him down, and then has Zay in a corner. Action CHOPS and Zay squeals! Zay goes to another corner, Action storms up to whip corner to corner.

Zay reverses, Action goes up but Zay catches him! Zay throws Action onto the ropes, right onto his runway! The fans rally and Zay runs side to side to then SHOVE Action down. Zay says work smarter, not harder. Action sits up on the floor but Zay goes out to bring him up. Zay whips Action hard into railing! Zay says they don’t teach that at school, that’s life. Zay refreshes the count, goes back for Action, but Action throws hands! Action fires forearms, Zay fires hands in return, then sends Action back into railing! Zay says “Say cheese!” then HAMMERS away on Action! Zay taunts fans, dares them to say something now, then he stomps Action.

Zay puts Action in the ring, slingshot SENTONS, then dusts off the shoes. Zay flexes, soaks up the heat, then goes after Action again. Zay snapmares, wraps on a chinlock, and vows to put Action to sleep! The fans rally as Action endures and fights up. Action throws body shots, but Zay clinches to SIDE EFFECT! Shoutout to the Hardy Boys, then Zay covers. TWO, but Zay uses his rag to CHOKE Action! The fans boo and the ref counts, but Zay lets off. Zay says he was wiping the sweat from Action’s face, but then he brings Action up to whip and ELBOW! Zay taunts the fans more, takes a bow, then goes back for Action.

Zay drags Action up, Action throws body shots again! Zay knees low, CLUBS Action, then CHOPS! The fans “WOO~!” and Action staggers to ropes. Zay wrenches and whips but Action holds ropes! Zay runs up but into a BOOT! Zay comes back, Action slides under then CLOBBERS Zay! Action CLOBBERS Zay again, wrenches, BACKBREAKER to NECKBREAKER! The fans rally while Zay bails out. Quen is there to coach Zay but Action builds speed! Action DIVES and down goes Zay! Action gets Zay in, goes up a corner, and springboards to FLYING LARIAT! Cover, TWO! Zay stays in this and Action grows frustrated.

Quen coaches Zay but Action looms over Zay. Action drags Zay up, torture racks, but Zay kicks and flails! Zay gets free, shoves Action, but Action goes up. Zay catches him again, puts Action on the apron, but then Action blocks a kick to spin Zay. Zay DRAGON WHIPS, then springboards to STUNNER! Action falls to the floor and the fans rally up. Zay blows a kiss, then slingshots up and over, to ASAI MOONSAULT! Direct hit at the ramp, and Zay checks his shoes. They’re good, so Zay puts Action in. Zay goes up, and he SWANTON BOMBS! Cover, TWO!! Action survives and Zay can’t believe it! Quen also argues, but the ref defends his count as fair.

Zay stalks Action as he rises and the fans rally up. Zay kicks, TWIST- NO, Action powers out, gets around, and goes up, POISON-RANA! Zay staggers about, Action springboards, FLYING CHUCK! Cover, TWO! Zay survives and Action is surprised! The fans rally again and Action goes to the apron. Quen lurks, Action storms up on him. Quen gets away, Action springboards, into a CUTTER! Cover, TWO!! Action survives and Private Party is stunned! Zay hurries to the corner and goes up top. Action springs up to ROCK Zay first! Action CLUBS Zay, Zay throws hands in return, and Zay clinches to SUPER SIDE- NO, Action backflips through!!

The fans are thunderous as Action runs up on Zay, to SHOTGUN him into buckles! Zay falls, Action hurries to go up and SPLIT-LEG MOONSAULT! Cover, Action wins!

Winner: Action Andretti, by pinfall

The Sight to See proves he’s one of a kind and he ruins the party for Private Party! Will Action & Top Flight soon take aim at the Bang Bang Gang and those ROH World Six Man titles?

ROH hears from The Undisputed Kingdom.

Also after the action at Supercard, Matt Taven & Mike Bennett regrouped with Wardlow in the parking lot. The ROH World Tag Team Champions were still very sore after going to war with The Infantry. They feel awful, but how does “big man” Wardlow feel? He feels great. And that’s all they need to hear! Infantry, the Kingdom told you there was nothing they wouldn’t do to keep the ROH World Tag titles! And tonight, they did it all on their own! Taven says that they came back two years ago, two YEARS ago, unsure what was gonna happen next, but all they wanted was these titles. And this is Supercard, did The Infantry really think they were gonna take them?!

And now that they’ve got the big man back on board, who’s stopping them? Look at them! They are the GREATEST tag team in ROH history! And with Wardlow behind them, no one will ever beat them! They are the UNDISPUTED Kingdom! Will the War Marchine, the Maestro of Mayhem, continue to be a massive insurance policy for all of the Kingdom’s gold?

ROH also hears from The Infantry.

Shawn Dean & Carlie Bravo regrouped with Trish Adora backstage after Supercard, and this is what pisses them off! They were doing their thing constantly, constantly, constantly. They had Kingdom up against the ropes, they were doing their thing, and they were really winning! Nobody in this building saw that giant vanilla gorilla get in there to knock Dean’s head off? Dean calms Bravo and says it’s okay. It just proves what they’ve been saying! The Kingdom needed outside interference to stop The Infantry’s momentum! But they can’t knock Infantry off the pivot. They’ll keep moving, keep marching, keep stepping.

Yeah, Infantry took a loss tonight. But win or lose, Infantry’s up! They’ll come back better than ever! Kingdom saw what Infantry’s about! You can’t kill ’em, they’ll just keep coming! Bravo will put it like this: clearly, y’all know what it is; clearly, y’all’re nervous; clearly, The Infantry got these dudes in their feelings. Every member of that old boy band, The Pinnacle or whatever, this is whack. But have no fear, The Infantry is here, and they’re here to stay. It’ll take a lot more than that to get rid of them, do you copy that?

ROH hears from Billie Starkz.

ROH cameras followed the NEW ROH Women’s World Television Champion backstage as she met with Mama Starkz to show her the belt. Billie says, “I did it!” but Mama Starkz says no, she didn’t. Billie did it all wrong! She was raised better! She trained so hard for this moment, and look at herself! Yeah, she’s champion! With that neck fake out? That wasn’t funny. No, yeah, it wasn’t funny, it was a trick, she’s not hurt. Mama says Billie knows better. ROH is Ring of Honor. Billie mockingly says, “Honor, honor, honor!” She won the title! The rest of the family’s proud, right? Mama says stop it, Billie.

Mama reprimands Billie for cussing, for acting crazy, for cheating, all of it. And she’s sick of Billie hanging out with Athena, she is a bad influence. Billie says she won the title and that’s still not enough!? But then Athena’s there and they hug it out! Billie did it! She champion now! She number two, Athena number one! Athena will be Billie’s mom! Let’s go! What? The Fallen Goddess brings Billie along, are these two going to reign over ROH with iron fists?

Backstage interview with Lee Johnson.

Also backstage after Supercard, Lexi Nair talked with Big Shotty. That TV Championship match was certainly star-making, with Lee taking Kyle to his limit. Even though Lee fell short, that was incredible stuff, walk us through the match. Lee says he feels good, oddly. He’d been waiting for so long to have a match like that, and tonight was finally his night. He’s been working his ass off every single week, and it led to this moment. So even though he didn’t win, Lee also didn’t lose. Lee won something out there. Big Shotty keeps up the positivity, will he hit the mark the next time he gets a shot?

ROH hears from Kyle Fletcher.

Speaking of that TV title match, The Protostar returned backstage, and he won’t say Lee Johnson is on his level, but he is certainly closer than Kyle thought. It wasn’t personal until Lee brought up how Kyle doesn’t wanna show up to work. The reason Kyle doesn’t show up to defend his title is because he got kicked out of the country, had to go back home to Australia, had to renew his visa. And while he was sitting in a hotel room, by himself, for two WEEKS, all he wanted to do was get back here! To defend his title! And Lee had the nerve to say Kyle didn’t wanna show up? Well that’s what you get! That is what you get taking those cheap shots!

Kyle is the Protostar because he is going to be THE star one day, and that match proves it! Kyle hopes Lee Johnson never forgets it! The Aussie Arrow is getting back to work tonight, will he shoot down another contender?

Backstage interview with Dalton Castle & Paul Walter-Hauser.

Also after Supercard, Lexi was with The Peacock, the Emmy winner and all the Substitute Boys as they celebrated the epic battle against Johnny TV. Lexi says Castle has conquered the mountain, he says there’s no height he can’t climb, so she asks him what are his thoughts? What’re his thoughts? He can’t think! Everything hurts and tingles, but he’s never felt more alive in his life! Did you see him out there? They doubted him, took everything from him, burned it to the ground, but he rose from the ashes! He breathed TV, he fueled himself with power, and surrounded himself with some of the most talented TV people in the world!

Castle turns to Paul Walter-Hauser, him coming to Castle’s side… Does he feel that? Depends on what Castle’s asking, but yes, Paul felt something. He just wants to say, before Castle goes off on Paul’s IMDB résumé, Paul wants to say he is a lifelong fan of Castle’s. And Paul wants to say, this whole thing with Johnny, Paul had Castle’s back day one, and will continue to have his back. It was a little scary at first, he’ll admit, because Castle texted Paul, “Come hand out with me and a bunch of Boys.” Castle promised Paul a good time. Did he have a good time? Paul deleted that text conversation because it would’ve been bad if someone had read that out of context.

Castle says look at this! Look at what they’re surrounded by! Lexi says yes, she sees. Castle says there’s nothing that can stop this force! He is the drum, he is the power, they are The TV that ROH has been craving! Paul says if you’re looking for a real TV Champion, you’re looking at one right here. Castle says yes, he likes the sound of that. Now let’s go! C’mon, Boys! The flock of Boys head out and Paul asks if they’re all orphans or what. Lexi isn’t sure, can’t really talk about that on TV. Paul says okay, he’s just feeling some orphan vibes. Paul hurries after Castle, will they both look to take over ROH TV?

ROH hears from Mariah May.

Toni Storm’s protege was backstage after Supercard to say she can’t even believe she just made her ROH PPV debut. She actually asked for this match because on Wednesday, she lost to Thunder Rosa and let Toni down. Mariah wanted to redeem herself and make Toni proud, so she hopes Toni was watching so she could prove herself against a Stardom girl. And then Mina Shirakawa finds Mariah backstage and thanks her for coming to the ring to celebrate. Mariah is AMAZING~! Mina gives Mariah a kiss and a round of applause, and then says let’s drink a toast! Mina serves the bubbly to “The princess,” but Mina is princess, too!

The two “princesses” kampai, and drink up! Rose Gold is back together again and it feels so good, but how will the leading lady take it?

Mark Sterling speaks.

“Alright, I want you to take a pen and paper and write down all of your accomplishments.” Smart Mark doesn’t really wait while he describes Josh Woods: “National champion wrestler at the University of Central Florida, four-time SEC Champion, four-time All American, ROH Pure Champion, captain of the US MMA team, all this while running fight camps for the most dangerous fighters in the world because you know more than them! You have a body that can take a punch and punch back twice as hard. A ferocious in-ring style that makes opponents second guess their career choice, and a mind only focused on what’s in front of him until it’s beaten into the ground.”

Now take a look at that paper. On that paper, Woods could beat anyone in this business. Time to come off the page. Josh Woods is a Premier Athlete.

ROH World Television Championship Proving Ground Match: Kyle Fletcher VS Rhett Titus!

We heard from the Aussie Arrow earlier tonight so we know he’s all fired up! He wants to put in the work, but he wants others to do the same! Will Rhett remind us why he’s a former World TV Champion? Or will Kyle continue to prove why he’s The Protostar?

The Code of Honor is not upheld as Kyle kicks Rhett’s hand away, and the bell rings. The clock is ticking but Rhett goes for a leg. Kyle stays up, Rhett waistlocks, but Kyle switches to SLAM Rhett down! Kyle taunts Rhett while the fans fire up. The two reset, knuckle lock, and then Rhett headlocks. Kyle powers up and out, then he runs Rhett over! The fans are torn as Kyle poses like Jushin Thunder Liger, then he storms up as Rhett is on the apron. Rhett RAMS into Kyle, then bumps him off buckles! Kyle staggers away, Rhett slingshots to SHOULDER TACKLE! The fans rally up and Rhett stands Kyle up to CHOP! And ROCK! And CHOP!

Rhett runs, but Kyle scoops to SLAM him! The fans fire up again and Kyle roars! Kyle stalks Rhett to a corner but Rhett kicks low. Kyle throws a body shot in return, then he puts Rhett in the corner. The ref counts, but Kyle CHOPS! The fans fire up up, Kyle wrenches and WRINGS Rhett out! Rhett writhes, Kyle pushes him to a cover, ONE! The fans cheer, but Kyle clamps onto Rhett with an armlock. Rhett endures, the fans rally, and Rhett fights up. Rhett throws body shots, arm-drags free, but Kyle comes back to ROCK him! Rhett sits down at the ropes, Kyle grabs the legs and YANKS Rhett up! Rhett lands on his feet!

Rhett blocks a lariat, spins Kyle around, and then suplexes to SLINGSHOT FALCON ARROW! The fans fire up while both men are down and Rhett feeds off the energy! He and Kyle stand, Rhett gets around to shove and ROCK Kyle in the back! Another shove, another forearm to the back! Another shove, another forearm to the back! Scoop and BACKBREAKER! Kyle writhes and Rhett pounds the mat as fans rally up again! Kyle goes to a corner, Rhett runs up to BOOT! Rhett goes side to side to BOOT again! Kyle wobbles, but he runs as Rhett runs, GAMANGIRI in the corner! Then suplex, but Rhett reverses to a cradle! TWO!!

Kyle kicks, whips, but Rhett reverses to clinch and BELLY2BELLY! Cover, TWO! Rhett keeps on Kyle with a HALF CRAB! Kyle endures, the fans fire up, and Kyle fights his way forward! But Rhett drags him back! Rhett drops down but Kyle kicks away on Rhett’s face! Kyle is free, but Rhett runs up! Kyle gets Rhett for a SNAP DRAGON! Rhett sputters, the fans fire up and Kyle snarls. Kyle drags Rhett up, spins him around, takes his time with the half nelson, HALF ‘N’ HALF! Rhett flounders, Kyle storms up, and Kyle stands Rhett up so he can pat him on the face. Kyle runs side to side, to CALF KICK!

Rhett staggers, Kyle says this is the end! PILEDRIVER!! Cover, Kyle wins!

Winner: Kyle Fletcher, by pinfall (denies Rhett Titus a title opportunity)

The Protostar keeps that momentum going, he is looking untouchable! Kyle vows to become the greatest ROH TV Champion of all time, all you’ve gotta do is watch and love it! Will the Aussie Arrow continue to shoot down contender after contender until there’s no one left?

My Thoughts:

A very good ROH here, but yeah, I skipped so many of these matches because sadly, this was also a post-PPV aftermath filler type episode. Still good stuff in the matches I skipped, and honestly, I am surprised Christopher Daniels won. He’s mostly been putting over other talent lately, but Karter was on his own so clearly the idea is Karter can’t win against a veteran like Daniels without cheating. And Nyla got a real good match out of Kat Von Heez, that was certainly a Lady Hoss fight. And in Zak Knight’s match, he opened with such a solid spear tackle, I really thought he could’ve just won that one fast. He still got a good match with Alvin, and a good win for Zak going into his fight with Angelo Parker.

Great fallout promos from a lot of the champions and challengers on Supercard. I really appreciate Eddie and Mark chilling after their brutal main event and the message they sent to House of Black with it, and I really liked Mama Starkz staying Face and not being happy about her daughter going Heel. I really hope next week, we get a big celebration of Athena and Billie with both titles, which will then be crashed by one or more potential challenger. Meanwhile, Castle and Walter-Hauser had a fun little segment, maybe a little more amped up and chaotic than Walter-Hauser was ready for, but yeah, Castle definitely needs to go after the TV title again.

Good promo from The Undisputed Kingdom to stay hyped with Wardlow as their insurance policy, and good response from The Infantry to keep themselves hyped even in defeat. Good promo from Sterling to hype up Woods, but it feels like The Premier Athletes are already spinning their wheels, I just don’t know what it’s going to take for the whole to be more than the sum of its parts. They are all really great in-ring wrestlers but the personalities just never seem to come across as Heels that are threats. And very good promo for Mariah and Mina to bridge the gap between Supercard and the moment they then had last night on Dynamite. I still think we should get Storm VS Mina not even for the title but for the partnership of Mariah, that’ll be some fun.

Lee Johnson had a good promo but Kyle Fletcher’s response was probably best promo of the night. I wish AEW/ROH would’ve told us Kyle was having visa problems, because then there’s no misunderstandings as to why Kyle can’t be around. If Dynamite last night showed us anything, Tony Khan needs to get it out of his head that he doesn’t know how to do worked-shoot angles without making everyone look stupid! Sure it gives Kyle some passion going into his match tonight but it shouldn’t be that way at all. Kyle and Rhett have a good match, Kyle gets a good win for it, and if Castle is up next, Kyle and Castle are going to have great promos as well as a great title match.

My Score: 8.4/10