ROH is picking up speed towards Final Battle!

Ahead of what could be the greatest ROH Women’s World Championship match, Athena puts Diamante up against Persephone in hopes of slowing her down! Will the Cuban Diamond prove herself a worthy Minion?

OFFICIAL RESULTS

• The Beast Mortos VS Gravity; Mortos wins.
• Six Man Tag: Dalton Castle & The Outrunners VS Griff Garrison, Jacked Jameson & Rosario Grillo w/ The Frat House; Castle & The Outrunners win.
• Trish Adora VS Leila Grey; Grey wins.
• Six Man Tag: The Dark Order VS Vin Parker, Jimmy House & Jay Alexander; Dark Order wins.
• Persephone VS Diamante w/ Athena; Persephone wins.

PLAY BY PLAY

The Beast Mortos VS Gravity!

The ROH World Championship is on the line in a Survival of the Fittest match this Friday, and LFI is sending both their monstrous minotaur and Everyone’s Favorite Pillar, Sammy Guevara. Will Mortos have momentum after mauling Bandido’s hermano? Or can Gravity bring Mortos down?

The Code of Honor is not upheld as Gravity doesn’t quite trust Mortos. The bell rings, Mortos runs up, but Gravity dodges! And then he BOOTS Mortos, runs up, and sunset flips! Mortos YANKS Gravity up, but Gravity ducks the lariat to waistlock. Mortos switches, but Gravity FLYING-MARES! Then he hurdles, runs, and RANAS Mortos! The fans fire up with Gravity, he dodges Mortos, then spacewalks! Mortos snarls, runs up, and he CLOBBERS Gravity! Mortos drags Gravity up, SMACKS him back down, and the fans are torn. Mortos stomps Gravity, whips him to the corner, then runs up to ELBOW, LARIAT, and GAMANGIRI!

Gravity wobbles, Mortos reels him in, SNAP POWERSLAM! Cover, TWO! Gravity survives, but Mortos CLAWS at his face through the mask! The ref reprimands, Mortos pushes Gravity down, NECK TWIST! Cover, TWO! Mortos steps on Gravity, stands on his hair, and pulls the arms! The ref reprimands, Mortos stops at 4, and he stands Gravity up to SMACK him back down! The fans are still torn, but Mortos raises the LFI fist. Gravity fires body shots, but Mortos KNEES low! Mortos reels Gravity in, suplexes, but Gravity slips free! Gravity shoves Mortos, ducks ‘n’ dodges to handspring, but Mortos catches him!

Mortos shoves Gravity, Gravity goes up and over to sunset flip, TWO! Both men hurry up, Gravity slips around to CRUCIFIX DRIVER! Cover, TWO! Mortos escapes, but Gravity DROPKICKS him back down! Mortos tumbles out of the ring, the fans fire up, and Gravity builds speed! Gravity FLIES and takes out Mortos! The fans fire up with Gravity, he gets Mortos up and into the ring, and then Gravity hurries up the corner. 450- NO, Gravity rolls through as Mortos dodges! Gravity turns around, Mortos gets him for a POP-UP SAMOAN DROP! Cover, TWO! Gravity survives and Mortos grows frustrated but the fans rally up.

Mortos roars, the fans rally even harder, and Mortos drags Gravity up. Mortos reels Gravity in, but Gravity wrenches out, dodges, and rolls, sunset flip again! TWO! Mortos stands and HEADBUTTS Gravity right down! Gravity goes to a corner, Mortos runs up, but Gravity OVERHEAD SUPLEXES Mortos into the buckles! The fans rally up as Gravity climbs, but Mortos ROCKET LAUNCHES Gravity! Then he reels Gravity in, BEAST BREAKER! DISCUS LARIAT!! Cover, Mortos wins!

Winner: The Beast Mortos, by pinfall

Gravity tried, but he could not hold Mortos down! Will Mortos rampage through Survival of the Fittest like a bull in a China shop?

BREAKING NEWS for Boxing Day Brawl!

On the second-ever ROH holiday special, the Friday after Christmas will see Komander challenge Lee Moriarty for the ROH Pure Champion! Now, this does depend on quite a bit from this Friday’s Final Battle! Will #TAIGASTYLE outlast Nigel McGuinness in their 30-Minute Iron Man Match? And will Komander be bringing THE ROH World Championship to make it Winner Takes All?

Trish Adora VS Leila Grey!

While Shane Taylor Promotions will defend their ROH World Six Man Tag Team Championships at Final Battle against Team Sky Flight, this showdown is about who takes a crucial step forward in the Women’s Division! Will it be the #AfroPunk or the Last Baddie Standing that proves herself worthy of golden opportunities?

The Code of Honor is upheld, the bell rings, and the fans rally as the two circle. They tie up, go around, and Adora arm-drags Grey with some stank. They go again, tie up, and now Grey returns the favor! The fans applaud, Adora brushes that off, and the two reset. They approach, then Adora kicks low! Adora CLUBS Grey, brings her around, and bumps her off buckles. Adora wraps Grey’s arms around ropes and pulls! Then she CHOPS! Grey sputters, the fans “WOO~!” and Adora GRINDS Grey’s forehead against the ropes! The ref counts, Adora whips, but Grey ducks ‘n’ dodges to DROPKICK the legs out!

Adora sputters, Grey runs, and Grey hits the ROLLING NECKBREAKER! Then she runs up to SLINGBLADE! A great shoutout to The Ace and the fans fire up! Grey brings Adora up, tucks the arms, but Adora RAMS Grey into a corner! And again, and again, and again! The ref counts, Adora lets off at 4, then she runs back in. Grey BOOTS Adora, then runs up, but Adora ROCKS her! Adora fires up, runs up, but Grey swings around! CRUCIFIX DRIVER! Cover, TWO! Adora survives but she is dazed. Grey drags Adora up, reels her in, but Adora breaks free to ROCK Grey again and again! Grey goes to the ropes, Adora runs up, but Grey dodges again! SNAP POWERSLAM! Cover, TWO!

Adora survives another shot, Grey grows frustrated, but the fans rally. Grey fireman’s carries, Adora elbows free and cravats. Adora fires KNEES into Grey, then hits a CUTTER! Cover, TWO! Grey survives but Adora is right on her. Adora KICKS Grey in the back, asks if everyone heard it, and then she KICKS Grey again! Adora winds up to KICK again! Then Adora grabs the arms, and steps over for the deep Motorcycle Stretch! Adora bounces, pedals the arm, then rolls Grey to a cradle, TWO! Adora brings Grey up, Grey fires body shots, but Adora top wristlocks! Grey endures, but Adora hits a NECKBREAKER!

Adora clamps onto Grey again, COBRA CLUTCH! Grey endures, the fans rally up, and Grey rises up. The fans rally as Grey fires body shots! Grey hits a JAWBREAKER! And then she fires more forearms! Grey ROCKS Adora, then she LARIATS! And LARIATS! And ducks to SUPERKICK! Grey waistlocks, GERMAN SUPLEX! The fans fire up with Grey and she runs corner to corner, SHINING WIZARD! Then a BULL- NO, Adora THROWS Grey away! Then the SWINGING BACKBREAKER! And then a GERMAN SUPLEX of her own! The fans fire up and Adora is feeling it! Grey sputters, Adora Oklahoma Rolls her, TWO!

Grey stands, runs up, she rolls Adora up, TWO! Grey swings, Adora wrenches to backslide, TWO!! Grey escapes, kicks, and reels Adora in! PEDIGREE!! Grey wins!!

Winner: Leila Grey, by pinfall

The Baddie proves she can indeed do bad all by herself! Will this be a good sign that Sky Flight is ready to take the gold? Or will STP still run ROH?

Backstage interview with Leila Grey & Zayda Steel.

Lexy Nair first congratulates The Baddie on her great win tonight, and she introduces Zayda Steel, who simply wanted a moment of Leila’s time. Zayda says everyone might be wondering why, and she knows she’s new around here, but most people already know she’s The Real Deal. And Zayda’s been watching Grey, she’s a huge fan, and she’d love to have a match, Baddie to Baddie. What does she say? Zayda offers a handshake, Grey says sure, and they shake on it. If Zayda wants it, she’s got it. But here’s a warning: Grey can be a real baddie when she wants to. Get it? Got it? Good. Grey heads out, but will Zayda show just how bad she can get?

Persephone VS Diamante!

CMLL’s Goddess of the Underworld is aiming for THE ROH Women’s World Championship this Friday, but the Fallen Goddess of ROH is putting up her newest Minion as a barrier. Will Persephone fail to get past the Cuban Diamond? Or will Diamante be the one to crack under the pressure?

The Code of Honor is upheld, the bell rings, and the fans rally up. Diamante and Perse circle, tie up, and Perse headlocks. Diamante powers up to power out the back and headlock in return. Perse waistlocks, Diamante switches, but Perse doesn’t know what she’s trying in trying to lift her. Diamante CLUBS Perse instead! Diamante then hops on and has a SLEEPER! Perse THROWS Diamante right off, and Diamante gets up in a huff. Diamante shoves Perse, Perse shoves back! Diamante takes a swing, Perse dodges, and Perse arm-drags Diamante around! Diamante arm-drags back! Then Diamante runs, but Perse hurdles!

Diamante RAMS Perse but Perse doesn’t budge! They both talk trash, Perse runs, but Diamante follows! Only for Perse to RUN her over! The fans fire up with Perse and she keeps moving. Diamante drops down, hurdles, but gets caught! Fireman’s carry and then a pop into the FALL AWAY SLAM! Perse kips up, the fans fire up, and Diamante flounders to the apron. Perse drags Diamante up, but Diamante HOTSHOTS her! Diamante then reels Perse in, DDT to the apron! Diamante keeps Perse stuck in the ropes, then runs to DROPKICK her down! Diamante talks trash, gives some Latina Heat, then aims.

Perse stands, Diamante FLYING RANAS! Then she DROPKICKS Perse into the barriers! The fans are torn but Diamante gets Perse in the ring. Diamante hurries to cover, TWO! Perse shakes her head, but Diamante rains down fists! Diamante lets off to then bring Perse up. Perse fires body shots, but Diamante KNEES low! Perse flounders, Diamante stalks her to the corner, and Diamante GRINDS Perse’s face against the ropes! The ref reprimands, the fans boo, but Diamante SMACKS Perse off buckles! Diamante climbs up, rains down fists, and fans count along! Diamante goes to nine, then BITES Perse’s head!

The ref reprimands, Diamante stops, and she CHOPS Perse! Diamante whips corner to corner, but Perse goes up and over to SHOTGUN! The fans fire up, and then Perse SPLASHES Diamante! The fans fire up more as Perse puts Diamante in the ropes. Perse HAMMERS away, then headstands before the KNEE DROP! Cover, TWO! Diamante survives, Perse is frustrated, but she drags Diamante up. Perse ROCKS and CHOPS Diamante on repeat! Perse runs, but Diamante follows! Wheelbarrow and STUNNER! Cover, TWO!! Perse survives and now Diamante is frustrated. Diamante winds up, but Perse goes Matrix!

Perse SUPERKICKS Diamante, then reels her in! Canadian Rack, then crucifix! RAZOR’S- NO, Diamante RANAS through! Cover, TWO! Both women stand, Diamante hops on, CODE RED! Cover, ROPEBREAK!! Perse’s long legs save her and Diamante hates it! Diamante tries again, CODE- NO! Perse pops free and SPEARS! Perse roars, the fans fire up, and Perse goes up the corner! MOONSAULT! Cover, Perse wins!

Winner: Persephone, by pinfall

The Queen of the Dead puts down Diamante, but ATHENA is here! The fans fire up as the Forever Champion graces us with her presence, and she says these are HER Minions! Perse dares Athena to do something then! Athena steps up, Perse runs up, but Athena gets away! Diamante is back up, but Perse CLOBBERS her first! Athena runs up, but Perse ROCKS her first! And ROCKS her, and ROCKS her, then DECKS her! And BOOTS her! Perse reels Athena in, Canadian Rack, but Diamante makes the save! The Minion saves her Overlord, but the belt was left behind! Perse smiles and she picks it up.

The fans cheer but Athena is furious! Persephone dares Athena to come take it back then! Will Persephone end Athena’s reign short of 1100 days? Or will the Forever Champion make sure this Friday is NOT her Final Battle?

My Thoughts:

Okay, where was the advertising on this? Didn’t even realize they were doing this until it was over and it was basically Wednesday. But either way, this is kinda like part one of the go-home episode, they really could’ve just made a bigger episode on Thursday since they’re still doing an episode on Thursday. Ironically, I’d probably have just complained we got a really big go-home episode for no reason, so whatever. But at around 45 minutes with a good amount of filler, this didn’t take very long.

Not the best stuff out of Mortos and Gravity, but it has been some time since we saw Gravity wrestle so he still did pretty good. Mortos of course wins here since he won’t be winning Survival of the Fittest, go-home math just helps line it up now. Solid wins for #CastleRunners over Frat House and their “pledge,” Grillo, as well as for Dark Order over three randos. Those trios are staying strong in the Six Man Division so they can challenge whoever wins at Final Battle. Adora VS Grey was also a solid match and a solid win for Grey. Good to see Zayda Steel somewhere after her WWE ID deal expiring. Zayda VS Leila will make for a solid debut match, but I can just feel Zayda going Heel on Leila during/after the match, given what we saw in WWE Evolve.

And a really good main event from Persephone VS Diamante. But with Persephone both winning the match and standing tall in her brawl with Athena, go-home math would indicate she doesn’t win. However, something’s gotta give, and we cannot drag Athena’s reign out another year when A) ROH continues to struggle in building contenders, and B) Athena herself should really be going after AEW based titles by now. Just pull the trigger, TK, it’s been long enough.

My Score: 8.6/10