Who rules the Pure Division?

Preston Vance wants to prove Mr. Brodie Lee was right to choose him, so he is going after Lee Moriarty’s ROH Pure Championship!

OFFICIAL RESULTS

• Action Andretti w/ Lio Rush VS Tony Deppen; Action wins.
• Jacked Jameson & Beefcake Boulder w/ Bulky Bronson VS The Dark Order w/ Evil Uno; The Dark Order wins.
• Abadon VS Liviyah; Abadon wins.
• Brian Cage VS Alec Price; Cage wins.
• Athena & Billie Starkz VS LMK & Christina Marie; Athena & Billie win.
• Johnny TV VS Komander w/ Alex Abrahantes; Komander wins.
• ROH Pure Championship: Lee Moriarty VS Preston Vance; Lee wins and retains the title.

PLAY BY PLAY

Action Andretti w/ Lio Rush VS Tony Deppen!

The Sight to See wants to see a title opportunity in his future, and that means he has to win his way there. Will he defeat a former ROH World Television Champion as the start of that journey? Or will his flight plans be grounded already?

The Code of Honor is upheld, the bell rings and the fans rally up. Action and Tony tie up, Action headlocks and hits a takeover, but Tony headscissors. Action kips free, but Tony hits the headlock and takeover. Action headscissors, but Tony moves around. Tony bridges to a cover, TWO as Action bridges up! Action and Tony fight for control, Action spins to headlock. Tony powers up and out but Action runs him over! Fans are torn as Action grins, and things speed up. Tony hurdles, but Action stops the flip to sit Tony up. Action comes back but Tony ducks the Penalty Kick! Tony rolls Action up, TWO! The two stand, Tony blocks a shot!

Tony wrenches and WRINGS Action, but Action rolls through, only for Tony to step over and roll to a cradle! TWO! Action and Tony back off and the fans cheer. Lio coaches Action, and Action resets with Tony. They circle, they approach, and Action kicks low! Action CLUBS Tony, but the fans cheer Tony on. Action CHOPS Tony in a corner, whips, but Tony reverses. Tony runs up, blocks a boot, but Action blocks a chop to knuckle lock and CHOP! Action goes up and up to jump and FLYING ARM-DRAG! The fans fire up and Action DROPKICKS! The fans cheer the athleticism, and Action takes aim at Tony.

Tony flounders, Action runs to ropes, IMPLODING TWISTER! Cover, TWO! Action is annoyed but the fans rally up. Action stands Tony up to UPPERCUT, then he RAMS Tony into the corner! Action snapmares, runs, and basement DROPKICKS! Cover, ONE!! Tony is toughing it out but Action is right on him. Action suplexes, covers, TWO! Action is further annoyed, but the fans rally. Action storms up, into a CHOP! The fans “WOO~” but Action is mad now. Action BOOTS Tony down, stomps away in the corner, but lets off as the ref counts. Action scrapes Tony with his boot, then drags Tony into a drop zone.

Action goes to the corner, goes up and SPLIT LEG- NO, Tony moves and Action has to bail out. Action runs up but into an ELBOW! Tony goes up, leaps, but Action gets under. Tony mule kicks, front kicks, then whips. Action reverses, Tony goes up and over to ROCK, ELBOW, and LARIAT! Tony snapmares to then basement UPPERCUT! The fans fire up for Tony and he goes up the corner. Tony leaps, but Action avoids the stomps! Action runs up, wrenches, and fireman’s carries! Tony fights with elbows, grabs ropes, so Action puts him on the apron. Tony ROUNDHOUSES, but Action comes back! Tony DUMPS Action out hard!

The fans rally as Tony builds speed! DEPPEN IN THE DEEP END! Direct hit with the cannonball tope and Tony puts Action back in. But then Action FLIES out onto Tony! The fans fire up as Action puts Tony in, springboards, but has to bail through the 450 as Tony moves! Action mule kicks, CHOPS, BUZZSAWS, then deadlift FALCON ARROWS! Cover, TWO?!? Tony survives but Action seethes. Action aims, runs up, and SHOTGUNS Tony into buckles! Action then hurries up to SPLIT LEG MOONSAULT! Cover, Action wins!

Winner: Action Andretti, by pinfall

And there is that much needed first step up the ladder! Will Action keep climbing until he’s at the top of ROH?

The Iron Savages speak.

Beefcake Boulder calls out The Outrunners! “Young Men Alive? First of all, how can y’all be the youngest when one of y’all has a bald spot bigger than the highway between Fort Worth and Dallas? Second of all, you wanna make a name for yourselves? That’s fine. You wanna rise to the top? That’s fine. But when you wanna do that off the big, meaty backs of the Iron Savages, that’s not fine, you two! You’re wannabes! You’re carbon copies! You’re-” Jacked Jameson finishes pumping to call The Outrunners “Meat Riders!” Those two came into this company riding off the “meat wave” just as Iron Savages were starting to cool, and you know they cook!

But The Outrunners are nothing but a couple of Meat Riders! Bronson chugs Savage Sauce and says, “All the buzz that you two have accumulated over the last month should belong to US, to the Iron Savages! Oh, you don’t like that? You don’t like what we’ve done? Why don’t you do something about it? Because if you don’t, we’ll be around every corner, on every Florida beach, in every gym sauna, waiting to embarrass you! More than you embarrass yourselves on a daily freakin’ basis! Now sip on that! SIP, ON, THAT!” Jameson mockingly flexes, but will he and Boulder flex on The Dark Order to send a message?

Jacked Jameson & Beefcake Boulder w/ Bulky Bronson VS The Dark Order w/ Evil Uno!

The teams sort out, Boulder steps up to Reynolds, and no Code of Honor as the bell rings. Boulder and Reynolds circle, and Reynolds mocks Boulder’s marching. The two tie up, Reynolds waistlocks, but Boulder backs him up into a corner! The fans rally, Boulder runs in, but Reynolds goes up and over. Reynolds ducks ‘n’ dodges, but Boulder catches the crossbody! Boulder SLAMS Reynolds, then mocks the Dark Order hand. Boulder runs, but Reynolds avoids the splash! Reynolds gets moving to basement DROPKICK! Reynolds kips up, the fans fire up, and Reynolds brings Boulder up. Boulder shoves Reynolds away, tag to Jameson!

Silver tags in, and the fans cheer. Jameson chuckles. Johnny Hungy, meet Jameson Saucy! The fans chant for “MEAT! MEAT! MEAT!” The two tie up, Jameson headlocks, but Silver powers up and out. Jameson RAMS Silver, but Silver rebounds to run Jameson over! Things speed up, Jameson hurdles but Silver hits the atomic drop! Silver then scoops and SLAMS Jameson! “I’m freakin’ jacked, baby!” Boulder says he has Grade A meat! Silver says whatever, but Jameson knees him low! Jameson says time to visit #TIDDYCITY! Jameson brings Silver over as Boulder brings down the straps.

But Silver turns things around! Jameson is sent into the wooly forest! Boulder realizes what’s going on and freaks out! Jameson sputters out of the ring, Silver goes out to send Bronson into the hairy chest! Silver laughs at Bronson, “You got boobies in your face!” But then Jameson CLOBBERS Silver! Jameson says no one takes The Savages to Tiddy City! Jameson puts Silver in, and says time for leg day! HIP DROP! Tag to Boulder, and Boulder goes up. The fans rally for “Johnny Hungy!” but Boulder still HIP DROPS! Boulder soaks up heat, Jameson says Johnny is stuffed, and then Boulder CHOKES Silver on ropes!

The ref counts, Boulder lets off, and he whips Silver into the open corner. Boulder lines up the shot, runs up, but into a BOOT! Silver BOOTS again, goes up, and he leaps, into Boulder’s grip! Boulder scoops, Silver slips free, tag to Reynolds! The fans fire up as Reynolds dodges Boulder to BOOT Jameson! Reynolds then dodges Boulder to go side to side and ELBOW! Reynolds keeps moving, he dropkicks the legs out, then he BASEMENT UPPERCUTS! The fans fire up with Number 3 as he stalks Boulder. Reynolds storms up but Boulder trophy lifts! But Reynolds slips free! Reynolds ducks ‘n’ dodges to tilt-o-whirl, IRON OCTOPUS!

Jameson storms in to CLUB Reynolds! The fans boo but Boulder tags Jameson in. The Savages drag Reynolds up but Reynolds fires hands! ROLLING ELBOW on Jameson! Boulder grabs Reynolds but Reynolds kicks and fires uppercuts! The fans fire up as Reynolds fires off! But Jameson is there to SPINEBUSTER! Boulder SPLASHES down! Jameson covers, Silver breaks it! The fans fire up, but Boulder CLUBS Silver to a corner. Reynolds is in the other, so Boulder whips Jameson in. Jameson SPLASHES Reynolds, then he hurries to whip Boulder at Silver. But Silver TOSSES Boulder up and out of the ring!

The fans fire up as Silver dodges Jameson, GAMANGIRI! The WOMBO COMBO gets going! STUNNER and GERMAN SUPLEX! Jackknife bridge, Dark Order wins!

Winners: The Dark Order, by pinfall

Their recent losses have had them down, but now Dark Order is getting back up! Will they prove #DarkOrderIsGood enough for another tag title opportunity?

Abadon VS Liviyah!

The Living Dead Girl is still stalking the Fallen Goddess, wanting her own title opportunity. Will another win for Abadon force Athena’s hand? Or will Abadon have to #LivAndLearn?

The Code of Honor is upheld, the bell rings, but Abadon won’t let go! Abadon BITES Liv’s arm! The ref reprimands, Abadon lets off, but then Abadon fires haymakers! Abadon then runs to LARIAT Liv hard! The fans fire up and Abadon runs, but Liv dodges to run and forearm SMASH! Then BACKSTABBER! Liv talks smack on Abadon, “You think you’re so good cuz you’re weird!” Abadon sits up! Liv stomps Abadon but Abadon rises. Liv hooks Abadon, but Abadon blocks the sweep! Then BACKBREAKER! Abadon CLUBS away on Liv’s chest! Abadon pushes Liv around, and the fans fire up as Liv sits up. KILLER KNEE!

Abadon drags Liv up and says it’s time! BLACK DAHLIA!! Cover, Abadon wins!

Winner: Abadon, by pinfall

The win streak is emphasized by the scary shriek! Abadon says Athena is next! Will there be nothing stopping this creeping nightmare?

Backstage interview with Red Velvet and Diamante.

Arkady Aura is with the ROH Women’s World Television Champion and the Cuban Diamond, and notes that they both wanted this time. ROH Management has told them there is a No Physicality Order on this interview, or else their title match will be canceled. Velvet, as champion, the floor is yours. Velvet tells Diamante that they’ve been in the ring more times than she can count. And every time she thinks she’s seen the best of Diamante, Diamante proves her wrong. Velvet’s been watching her closely, from the Lights Out to the Texas Death Match. And Velvet won’t lie, Diamante is in her prime, has really hit her stride.

But how many years has she been doing this? 15 years? Velvet did this in eight to become ROH Women’s TV Champion. And Diamante may not wanna say it, but Velvet sees it. It eats Diamante inside, and keeps her up at night. Diamante chucks her bottle, Arkady reminds them there is to be no physicality! Diamante says yeah, Velvet’s right. Those matches have been the best Diamante has been. But hey, they’re not the best Diamante will be. Velvet’s talking like this because she has no idea what Diamante is willing to do to become champion here. Velvet is there with that custom title belt. But red looks a lot better on Diamante.

Diamante leaves, Velvet rolls her eyes and says sure. The match is set, it is only a matter of time. Who will come away with the gold when velvet collides with diamond?

Dustin Rhodes & Sammy Guevara speak.

After their bloody Bunkhouse Brawl last week on Collision, The Sons of Texas regrouped backstage. Sammy says he is always amazed. Dustin called this his last run, but it feels like he could do this longer than Sammy. Dustin says his family was born and bred in Bunkhouse Brawls. Since his father’s death, Dustin’s mother gave him something Dusty wore every day. It was special to bring that belt out for this match. Dustin is 55, Sammy is young and spry, and Dustin thanks God that Sammy can do the real crazy stuff for them. They are the Sons of Texas right here, baby! Time to get some stitches…

Athena & Billie Starkz VS LMK & Christina Marie!

The Fallen Goddess is now THE longest reigning champion in ROH history, male or female! But tensions are running high within The Overlord’s organization, will Athena and Minion 400,237 & 3/4ths make it through the year? Or will Autumn be the beginning of the fall?

The Code of Honor is offered by Athena & Billie, but then the fans rally for “L M K! L M K!” Athena says forget it, and she goes to the corner. Billie and Christina start, the bell rings, and the two step up. Billie ROCKS Christina! Billie whips, Christina reverses and arm-drags! Then arm-drags again! Christina scoops to SLAM Billie, and then flexes. The fans rally, Billie runs up but into a fireman’s carry. Athena distracts the ref so Billie can CLAW Christina’s eyes! Billie slips into a waistlock to GERMAN SUPLEX! The fans are torn, LMK asks if Christina is okay, but Billie mocks her and tells her to shut up.

Billie goes over to Christina, drags her up, and tags in Athena. Billie TOSSES Christina out, then Athena says, “This is MY show!” But Christina fires body shots! Christian runs up, but Athena catches her! And SLINGS her into railing! The fans are torn as Athena puts Christina in the ring. Athena stalks Christina, taunts LMK, but then drags Christina back. Athena mocks the LMK chants, then SAIDOS Christina! Athena kips up, the fans cheer, and she runs in to KNEE Christina down! Tag to Billie, Athena wrenches Christina to KICK, KICK and call to Billie. Billie HEEL KICKS Christina down! Billie keeps Christina from LMK, covers, TWO!

The fans rally, Billie drags Christina up, and she snap suplex! Billie taunts LMK, clamps onto Christina, and clamps on a chinlock. The fans rally as Christina endures. Christina fights up, fires body shots, but Billie whips Christina to an open corner. Christina dodges, Billie hurries after her! Christina BOOTS Billie away, hot tag to LMK! Athena tags in, but Little Mean Kathleen rallies on her! LMK runs, RANAS, and the fans fire up! LMK ROCKS Athena, RAMS into her, then runs, to BOOT! Athena wobbles, LMK roars, and then LMK runs, but into a BOOT! Athena snarls, Christina comes in, but Athena UPPERCUTS her down!

LMK gets up, ducks ‘n’ dodges to tilt-o-whirl, but Athena stops that! Athena sees Christina coming, and scoops her, too! GUTBUSTER SIDEWALK SLAM COMBO! Athena kips up and the fans fire up again! Athena drags Christina up, sends her to the corner, and Billie goes up and up to ARABIAN PRESS DDT! Athena aims at LMK, winds up, and ROCKS her! Then snapmare roll into the KOJI KLUTCH!! Or as Athena calls it, The Hussy Clutch! LMK verbally quits, Athena & Billie win!

Winners: Athena & Billie Starkz, by submission

The Forever Champion and her minion stand tall, but now they beat down on LMK & Christina just because! The fans boo, but here comes ABADON! We all knew The Living Dead Girl was here, and it seems they didn’t leave, either! Athena & Billie stay close, but then Athena leaves Billie all alone! Abadon steps to Billie, Billie thinks it is 2v1, but then she sees Athena shining her belt on the outside! Billie takes a swing, but Athena fires off haymakers! And a LARIAT! The fans fire up with Abadon, and Abadon asks where Athena’s going. Sorry, Minion, but you’re all Abadon’s! Abadon whips, but Billie bails out!

The fans boo but Abadon says Athena is afraid! Athena is in denial, saying she needed to shine up the title. Abadon says she’ll shine it up, with Athena’s blood! When and where will Athena have to face her fears and fight The Living Dead Girl?

ROH Pure Championship: Lee Moriarty w/ Shane Taylor VS Preston Vance!

The champion is leading the “ROH Pure Renaissance,” but his challenger wants to prove Mr. Brodie chose him for a reason. Will #TAIGASTYLE sink his Fang into Perro Peligroso? Or will Vance finally bring out his latent potential?

The judges for this match are Christopher Daniels, Jimmy Jacobs & Jerry Lynn. The introductions are made, the belt is raised, and we see who is the apex predator in ROH!

The Code of Honor is upheld, the bell rings, and we’re on the clock. The two circle, tie up, and Vance SHOVES Lee down! Lee gets up, shrugs that off, and they circle again. They tie up, and Vance SHOVES Lee down again! The fans applaud but Lee is annoyed. Lee and Vance go again, tie up, and Lee waistlocks to then headlock. Vance powers up and out, RUNS Lee over, covers, ONE!! Vance headlocks, Lee powers up and out, but Vance RUNS him over again! The fans applaud, Vance keeps moving but Lee drops. Lee hurdles, but Vance waistlocks. Lee throws elbows, switches, and they go to ropes.

Vance holds on, Lee complains to the ref, but the ref says that doesn’t count against Vance’s three because Lee is trying to pin him. Lee is annoyed by that, but then Vance DECKS Lee with a haymaker! The ref reprimands about the closed fists and that is Vance’s warning. The fans are torn, but Vance CHOPS Lee to a corner. Lee CHOPS again, and then fires forearms! Another CHOP, Vance says those are fair, and he whips corner to corner to LARIAT! And then back the other way, for another LARIAT! Vance reels Lee in, whips him again, but Lee ducks ‘n’ dodges. Lee wheelbarrows, but Vance’s strength stops the rest!

Vance picks Lee up but Lee grabs for ropes. Same ruling of the neutral ropebreak, but then Vance uses that to slingshot Lee into the GERMAN SUPLEX! The fans rally up while Lee flounders. Lee bails out, but Vance pursues. Vance brings Lee around, and THROWS him into railing! And then into more railing! And then into more railing! Lee flops back, the ring count climbs, and the fans fire up. Vance high-fives fans, then he drags Lee up. Vance puts Lee in, we’ve passed 3 minutes but the limit isn’t until 60. Vance stands Lee up to ROCK him with a forearm this time. Lee wobbles, Vance whips, but Lee goes Spider-Man!

Vance runs up, Lee BOOTS him! Lee waistlocks but Vance ELBOWS him away. Vance runs up, but into a CORNER SHOT! Lee is still frustrated, but the fans rally up. The clock glitches, but we’re only four minutes in. Lee grinds his boot into Vance, lets off, then drags Vance up. Lee reels Vance in to SNAP HALF HATCH! Cover, TWO! Lee clamps onto Vance’s arm now and grinds it. Vance fights up, and reaches out, ROPEBREAK! That one does count as Vance’s first, and Lee lets off with a sly grin. Lee hooks Vance up, RUSSIAN LEG SWEEP! And then GROUND OCTOPUS! Vance scrambles, he goes for the ROPEBREAK!

Lee lets off, he says that’s two! Lee brings Vance up but Vance ROCKS and CHOPS Lee! Vance runs, Lee dodges the boot to roll him up! TWO, but into the BORDER CITY- NO, Vance fights up out of the stretch! Vance lifts Lee, but Lee lands out of the back suplex! Vance LARIATS, then LARIATS again! The fans fire up, Vance runs but Lee dodges. Lee runs up but Vance ELBOWS him! Vance goes up, FLYING SHOULDER! Vance drags Lee up, puts him in a corner, but Lee BOOTS back! Lee runs up, but into the SPINEBUSTER! The fans fire up with Vance and he takes aim. DISCUS- NO, Lee ducks the lariat to run!

Lee tilt-o-whirls, but Vance turns octopus into FULL NELSON! But Lee uses his own leg for leverage to fight back! Vance and Lee end up on ropes, the ref counts it on Lee. Lee ELBOWS Vance away during the break! But the DISCUS LARIAT returns!! Both men are down and the fans fire up! Lee bails out as we hit 6 minutes, but Vance pursues. Vance drags Lee up to the apron, but Lee HOTSHOTS! The ref reprimands but Lee runs up! Tilt-o-whirl, LA MYSTICA! LA Magistrol, LEE WINS!

Winner: Lee Moriarty, by pinfall (still ROH Pure Champion)

Vance is a bit stunned, but he still got caught. Maybe Pure Rules aren’t his thing, will Vance find his way to a different mountaintop? As for Lee, will he continue to put away opponent after opponent as the face of Pure wrestling?

My Thoughts:

A very good episode, clocking in at just over an hour, which helps trim down on the filler. There still kinda was filler, but not as near the useless amount as other weeks. I of course still skipped Brian Cage’s match because of course he was going to win. I probably could’ve skipped Abadon’s match since it was clear Abadon would win, but it was for story with how we’d of course get Abadon going after Athena. Athena of course let Billie handle Abadon, and by that, Billie got handled by Abadon instead. Athena VS Abadon will be a great match, and it should be clear that A) Billie will help Athena retain, B) Billie won’t get any of the credit, and C) Billie breaks away from Athena to give us their rematch, most likely at Final Battle because it just writes itself.

I skipped Johnny TV VS Komander only because it didn’t have anything on the line, they just threw this match together. Granted, it was a very good match, but it was also a bit janky at times. I feel like this has happened to Johnny a few times here and there, where he wants to go as fast and hard as he can with his opponent, but the timing is always a little off because of it. Komander gets a great win all the same, that helps him have momentum going into the AEW Trios Championship match on Collision. As for Johnny, I really hope he and AEW/ROH can figure something out, he should get something of a title reign at some point, but maybe ring chemistry mishaps like tonight are what’s holding him back.

I kinda had to do Action VS Tony because it was the show opener. It was still very good stuff, and solid win for Action there, and maybe this helps his character cool down a bit, as the last promo he did was being angry that Top Flight Airlines wasn’t going anywhere. And I also kinda had to do Iron Savages VS Dark Order because the Savages had that promo right before. Ironically, the Savages lost, and that helps Dark Order get back up after their dabble into being Heels against Sammy & Dustin. Very good promo from Sammy & Dustin, but I’m surprised we didn’t get anything more from Gates of Agony on how they want next for the ROH Tag Team Championships.

And then a very good ROH Pure Championship match, if a bit sudden for Vance. I feel like there should’ve been a Proving Grounds match first. Vance ends up losing and in a rather quick match. The clock was glitching, jumping from 3:50 or something right to 12:00, and then before the end, it glitches backward to try and stay under 12 minutes. In the end, it was just seven minutes, and it ended with a quick pin, not a finisher or submission hold. Maybe we get Lee VS Vance again some day, but they really wasted this one. I really like Vance, but as such, we should’ve had Vance taking on some established names to build momentum before getting any title match.

My Score: 8.6/10