Will the Money Train pick up speed before Final Battle?

Having been egged on by The Chef, Red Velvet, #UltiMone is here to show why she IS the Undisputed ROH Women’s World Champion!

OFFICIAL RESULTS

• The Beast Mortos VS Komander w/ Alex Abrahantes; Mortos wins.
• Mixed Six Tag: The Premier Athletes VS Zoey Lynn, Philly Collins & Marina Tenaglia; The Premier Athletes win.
• Sidney Akeem VS Rosario Grillo; Akeem wins.
• Six Man Tag: Dalton Castle & The Outrunners VS Jake Omen, Ashton Adonis & Josh Crane; Castle & The Outrunners win.
• Daniel Garcia & Wheeler Yuta VS Damien & Damon Reel; Garcia & Yuta win.
• Mercedes Mone VS Lovely Miss Larkan; Mone wins.
• ROH Women’s Pure Championship Semifinal: Billie Starkz VS Yuka Sakazaki; Billie wins and advances to the finals.

PLAY BY PLAY

The Beast Mortos VS Komander w/ Alex Abrahantes!

The monstrous minotaur overcame Gravity just the other night, and now he looks to barrel through one of his fellow contenders! With Everyone’s Favorite Pillar in his corner, will Mortos build even more momentum? Or will the Ace of Space be flying high going into yet another Survival of the Fittest?

The Code of Honor is not upheld as Mortos doesn’t want it! He even blows SNOT at Komander! The fans boo and Komander is grossed out, but the bell rings. Komander still offers, but then he uses it just to tease Mortos with, “Ole!” Mortos gets mad, the two circle, and Mortos corners Komander. Komander runs up, but Mortos shoves him back and LARIATS! Mortos whips corner to corner and LARIATS again! Mortos then whips corner to corner to ELBOW, LARIAT, and GAMANGIRI! Komander sputters, Mortos reels him in, SNAP POWERSLAM! The fans fire up with Mortos and he drags Komander up.

Mortos SMACKS Komander, then whips, but Komander slides under the boot. Komander ducks an elbow, tilt-o-whirls, but Mortos stops the rest! Komander shoves Mortos, runs past him, and then flips to RANA! The fans fire up with Komander, and he runs up to slip around and tilt-o-whirl RANA! The fans fire up, Komander goes corner to corner, but Mortos puts him on the apron! Komander blocks a shot to GAMANGIRI! The fans fire up, Komander goes up top, MISSILE DROPKICK! Mortos stays up but the fans rally behind Komander. Mortos is mad again, he runs up, but Komander dodges! Mortos hits buckles!

Mortos gets mad again, takes a swing, but Komander blocks a shot with a knuckle lock. Komander CHOPS, CHOPS, and CHOPS! Komander goes up, jumps around, but Mortos YANKS him into a fireman’s carry! And USHIGOROSHI into a shove and POUNCE! Komander is down and the fans are torn, but Mortos snarls and storms over to Komander. Mortos stands Komander up just to put him through the ropes. Mortos goes after the mask! The ref reprimands, and counts in regards to the ropebreak, but Mortos stops at 4. But Mortos goes after the mask again! The ref counts, Mortos stops to growl at the ref.

Mortos stands Komander up, just to SMACK him down! Abrahantes coaches Komander and the fans rally, but Mortos again goes after the laces on Komander’s mask! The fans boo, Mortos tells them to hush, and he snapmares Komander, just to go after the mask! The ref reprimands, Mortos still wants to rip at the eyes, and he argues with the ref. Mortos pushes Komander down to TWIST! Komander writhes, the fans rally up, but Mortos drags Komander up for another snapmare. Mortos gets the legs, but Komander makes it a victory roll! TWO, and Komander blocks a shot to KICK, KICK, and dodge! Komander DROPKICKS the legs out!

Komander hurries to get the arm, step over and LA CASITA! TWO, and Komander hurries back up. Tilt-o-whirl RANA for the cover, TWO! The fans rally as Komander hurries back to his feet. Mortos takes another swing, Komander blocks again, and he CHOPS, CHOPS, BODY BLOWS, and even pokes the eyes! Komander jumps up, up, hops down, hops back up and around, and DRAGON RANAS! The fans fire up as Mortos tumbles out! The fans fire up, Komander builds speed, and Komander DIVES! Cannonball Tope and down goes Mortos! The fans rally for “LUCHA! LUCHA!” and Komander rises up.

The ring count starts, but Komander has Mortos up at 4 of 20. Komander puts Mortos in, climbs back up, and the fans rally again. Komander climbs to the top rope, then walks the tightrope, but he has to bail out as Mortos moves! Komander runs, ducks ‘n’ dodges, but still runs into a POP-UP SAMOAN DROP! Cover, TWO! Komander survives and the fans rally up again. Mortos snarls and he brings Komander up. Mortos reels Komander in, lifts, but Komander slips free of the bomb to SUPERKICK! Komander winds up, Mortos ducks one kick but the SOBAT finds him! Then SATELLITE DDT! Cover, TWO!

Mortos survives, Komander runs up, ROLLING CRUCIFIX DRIVER!! Cover, TWO!! Mortos survives yet again but the fans rally with Komander! Komander hurries to the corner, climbs up top, only for Mortos to trip him up! Mortos SMACKS Komander, then roars! The fans fire up, Mortos climbs up, and he SUPER- NO, Komander lands out! TIGER FEINT LEG SWEEP! Mortos falls to hit buckles! Komander goes back up and FLYING- NO! Mortos stops the rana, to BEAST BREAKER! And DISCUS LARIAT!! Cover, TWO?!?! Komander survives and the fans fire up again! Mortos snarls but Abrahantes coaches Komander up!

The fans rally as both men go to corners. Mortos runs up, spins, but Komander BOOTS the lariat, SUPERKICKS Mortos, and jumps up to POISON-RANA! Mortos is down in the drop zone! Komander goes up, tightrope walk, but SAMMY GUEVARA SHOVES KOMANDER!

Winner: Komander, by disqualification

The fans boo as Sammy ruins this match! And he SUPERKICKS Komander for good measure! The fans boo more as Sammy RIPS at Komander’s mask, and SNATCHES it off!! Abrahantes hurries to find a replacement, but BANDIDO rushes out here! The Most Wanted CLOBBERS Sammy with the belt! And BOOTS Mortos! Then SUPERKICKS Mortos! Komander gets his mask back, puts up his dukes, but Bandido helps Komander to his feet. The fans cheer them both on, but then Don Callis is on the mic! “Senoras y senores! In the immortal words of Mil Mascaras, donde esta me pantalones blancooooooo?”

The fans boo Callis insulting a legend, but Callis continues to say, “From the great country of Mexico y La Familia de Don Callis, ariba la familia, ariba Hechiceroooooooooooooo~!” And as such, The Alchemist of Lucha ATTACKS FROM THE CROWD SIDE! SHOTGUN on Bandido, then LFI mugs Komander! Hechi bumps Bandido off buckles, Mortos SNATCHES Komander’s mask again, and Hechi hits Bandido with the SWINGING BACKBREAKER! Mortos adds some stomps, then he and Hechi go after that mask! Komander tries, covering his face with a shirt, but he gets thrown aside! The fans boo as Mortos holds up the ROH World Championship.

But then Hechi snatches the title from Mortos! Hechi is not about to let Mortos claim he’ll win tomorrow night. They tug-o-war on the belt, Sammy joins in, and then Sammy holds up the belt! The fans boo, but even Mortos disagrees. Family and friendships aside, these three are going to fight over this belt! Sammy tells them both to just put the belt down and worry about this on Friday. The fans chant, “Sammy Sucks! Sammy Sucks!” but could Final Battle be the end of Bandido’s reign?

Six Man Tag: Dalton Castle & The Outrunners VS Jake Omen, Ashton Adonis & Josh Crane!

While The Peacock & The Youngest Men Alive want to be strong in the Trios Division, their run in with The Demand has given Castle a chance at the AEW National Championship! Will Truth Magnum & Turbo Floyd help Castle enter Final Battle with major momentum? Or will they regret overlooking Mr. International, Mr. Astonishing & The Luckiest Man In The Building?

The trios sort out and Truth starts against Omen. They tie up, Omen headlocks, but the fans rally as Truth powers up and out. Omen RUNS Truth over, then mocks the flex! Omen says shove it, then runs, but Truth drops down, hurdles over, and tells Omen to stop! And check out the gun show! The fans cheer Truth’s flexing, and he hits Omen with an atomic drop! And a DROPKICK! And then an arm-drag! Omen scrambles, tags Crane, but Truth arm-drags Crane down! Wrench and tag to Turbo, and the fans rally up! Turbo wrenches, tags Truth back in, whip and BODY BLOW to a KNEE LIFT, then a BIG back suplex!

Truth tags Castle, Castle SPLASHES DOWN! The fans cheer as Castle joins in with the flexing. Omen & Adonis run up, but The Outrunners HIP TOSS them away! Castle gut wrenches Crane and deadlifts him up! The fans fire up and Turbo tags in! Castle THROWS Crane, Turbo tags Truth, and the Outrunners handoff the wristlock. But Crane pulls hair, puts Truth in the corner, then CHOPS! Tag to Omen, he CHOPS! Tag to Adonis, he CHOPS! Tag back to Omen, he and Adonis double whip, but Turbo sneaks a tag! Truth dodges to CHOP and CHOP and CHOP! Crane runs up, but Turbo ROCKS him! The Outrunners pinball Crane, then scoop SLAM!

Crane flounders away, Truth points to their opponents in the corners. Truth & Turbo each run to SPLASH Omen & Adonis! Then they go corner to corner to SPLASH Adonis & Omen! Then they hit the BULLDOG LARIAT COMBO! The fans fire up wth Turbo but Omen manages to tag Crane! Crane SLAPS Turbo, but the fans tell Crane he messed up. Turbo fires up, Crane apologizes, but Turbo roars! Turbo DECKS Crane, winds up, and DECKS him again! The fans fire up and Turbo points to Castle! The fans rally up, Turbo tags Castle in! The Peacock storms in, gets Crane, and waistlocks to SLAM! Omen runs up, but into an ELBOW!

Crane is back, Castle gets under to THROW him! Adonis tries, Castle THROWS him, too! Castle blocks Omen’s boot, reels him in, and THROWS him! The fans fire up with Castle, but Omen & Adonis run up! Castle dodges, The Outrunners DUMP those two out! Then they get Crane up! Whip and scoop, Castle SLAMS Crane down! The Outrunners raise their hands, the fans fire up, and… “TURBO FLOYD! YOU SONOVAB*TCH!” Handshake and DOUBLE ELBOW DROP! The fans cheer as then Castle Alabama Lifts! They all spin for BANGARANG!! Cover, Castle & The Outrunners win!

Winners: Dalton Castle & The Outrunners, by pinfall

The Peacock says this is why he is fit to be a National Champion! Castle is running hot, but wait! The Demand is here! Ricochet swaggers on out, and the Gates of Agony attack from behind! It’s like a replay of the last time! The fans boo as Kaun whips Truth hard into railing, and then Liona whips Turbo hard into railing! Ricochet mockingly asks what happened, then he steps into the ring with Castle. Castle fights off the Gates, Ricochet backs off, and the 2v1 gets the better of Castle! Ricochet then BELT SHOTS Castle to top it off! Ricochet backs up to take aim, the Gates set Castle up, SPIRIT GUN!!

The fans boo even harder, but The Demand stands tall over Castle. Will The One & Only AEW National Champion stay the AEW National Champion? Or is he the one underestimating this former ROH World Champion?

Queen Aminata talks with Deonna Purrazzo backstage.

And it is clear by the neck brace what this is about. Aminata says she requested this time. After speaking with Tony Khan and the doctors… She didn’t want to end her tournament run this way, but unfortunately, she is not medically cleared to wrestle. They both wanted to wrestle each other, but Aminata’s neck is not something she can gamble with. That said, Aminata forfeits, and Tony Khan has granted Deonna a bye in the tournament. Aminata wishes Deonna luck, and Deonna thanks her. Deonna says this isn’t how she wanted to win like this, either. She has always prided herself on being a fighter, and she wanted to fight Aminata for that finals spot.

But it doesn’t matter if it is Billie or Yuka, Deonna will win and become the first-ever ROH Women’s Pure Champion, And when Aminata is cleared, while Deonna is champion, she’ll be waiting for her. Deonna then tells Billie and Yuka that it doesn’t matter who wins tonight, because tomorrow, ROH is about to become fluent in Purrazzo again. The Virtuosa sends her ultimatum, but will she still prove herself the best technical wrestler in the Women’s Division?

Mercedes Mone VS Lovely Miss Larkan!

The CEO did NOT take lightly to Red Velvet accusing her of ducking and dodging. #UltiMone is here to make a point, but will THE Undisputed ROH Women’s World TV Champion be spotless going into Final Battle? Or will her Money Train be derailed by The Trauma Train?

Larkan is way too excited for The Code of Honor, but Mone still shakes her hand. The bell rings, and Mone THROWS Larkan down by her hair! The ref reprimands and the fans are torn, but Mone does her CEO dance. Mone drags Larkan up, says this is HER show, but Larkan kicks low! And UP KICKS! Then then pumps up, only for Mone to block the kick! Mone KNEES Larkan down! Then brings her around, BACKSTABBER into STATEMENT MAKER!! Larkan TAPS, Mone wins!

Winner: Mercedes Mone, by submission

The champ doesn’t get paid by the hour, so she makes quick work of Larkan. She tells Red Velvet to keep crying, because Final Battle will be her last battle! Will Mone still hold onto the ROH Women’s World TV Championship? Or is #ThirteenBeltsMone about to have some bad luck?

ROH Women’s Pure Championship Semifinal: Billie Starkz VS Yuka Sakazaki!

With Queen Aminata’s withdrawal, everyone knows who the winner of this match will face at Final Battle. But will Minion 400,237 & 3/4ths look to enter her second-ever inaugural championship match? Or will the Wrestling Magical Girl put a spell on Billie and head for the gold?

The Code of Honor is upheld, the bell rings, and we are on the clock. The fans rally as the two circle, feel things out, and Billie calls for the Test of Strength. But then she teases Yuka with constantly switching the hands! The fans boo but Billie smirks while Yuka pouts. Billie also teases Yuka for her height and Yuka huffs ‘n’ puffs. They circle, tie up collar ‘n’ elbow, and they go around. Yuka powers Billie to the corner, Billie powers Yuka back, and Billie waistlocks. Yuka fights, they go to ropes, and the ref counts. Billie lets go, and that counts as Yuka’s first. But Yuka kicks Billie low! Yuka snapmares Billie, shifts around, body scissor and ROLLING CRADLE!

The fans fire up as they go around and around and around, then finally stop on the cover, TWO! The fans cheer while Yuka rises up. Yuka ducks ‘n’ dodges, then RANAS! Billie tumbles out of the ring and the fans fire up! Yuka watches Billie stumble around the outside, and she hits the low-slingshot, only for Billie to dodge the lariat! Billie ROCKS Yuka, goes for the post, but Yuka stops herself! Yuka ROCKS Billie, then POSTS her! The fans fire up with Yuka and she brings Billie up. Yuka puts Billie in the ring, then springboards, but Billie SUPERKICKS her first! Billie then has the SLEEPER on the ropes! The fans boo, the ref counts, Billie stops at 4.

The ref calls that a neutral break, and Billie drags Yuka in. Billie THROWS Yuka down by her hair, stomps away on her, then glares at the ref. Billie drags Yuka back up, ROCKS her with a forearm, then CHOPS! Billie whips Yuka corner to corner, then runs up to LARIAT! And DDT! Billie grins off that stiff impact and she covers, TWO! Yuka survives and Billie is frustrated already. Billie drags Yuka up, Yuka ROCKS Billie! And fires more shots! Yuka CLUBS Billie as we’re four minutes in, and Yuka suplexes. Billie blocks it, Yuka CLUBS Billie again, then puts her against ropes. The ref counts, Yuka stops, that is Billie’s first!

But then Billie ROCKS Yuka with a closed fist! The ref issues that first warning, but Billie fires forearm shots! Billie snapmares Yuka into a half nelson, but the fans rally behind Yuka. Billie traps an arm, and has a modified crossface. Yuka endures, fights up, and fires body shots. Yuka snapmares and rolls to BASEMENT KICK! Yuka runs, SLIDING FOREARM! Cover, TWO! Billie stays in this but Yuka stays on her. Yuka suplexes, but Billie blocks! Billie wrenches out, full nelsons, DRAGON SUPLEX! Bridging cover, TWO!! Yuka survives, but Billie is back to the half nelson! Yuka has the ROPEBREAK! Billie lets go, but that is Yuka’s second!

Billie says to figure this out faster, ref! She goes to suplex again, but Yuka blocks it! Yuka fires body shots and wrenches out, to ROCK Billie! And SUPERKICK! And then ROLLING ELBOW! Billie wobbles, Yuka brings her around, scoop and SNOWPLOW DRIVER! The fans fire up, Yuka covers, TWO!! Billie survives, but Yuka has a leg! ANKLE LOCK! Billie endures, reaches out, but Yuka steps over! Yuka puts a lot of pressure on the leg, but Billie shakes her head! Billie scratches and claws her way forward, reaches out, and has the ROPEBREAK! Yuka lets go, that is Billie’s second, and we’re past seven minutes in.

Yuka goes up the corner, but Billie hurries to ROCK her with a forearm! And ROCKET LAUNCHER! Billie goes up, up, and SWANTON- FLOP!! Yuka avoids disaster to go up top herself! DIVING BODY PRESS!! Cover, TWO?!? Billie survives and even shocks herself! Yuka hurries to the apron, goes up the ropes, but Billie trips her up! And she reels Yuka in for a suplex! Yuka fights it, but Billie goes again! GHOST BUSTER!! The fans fire up as Billie shrieks, and now she has the leg! Billie pulls on the leg, turns Yuka, but Yuka kicks and kicks and kicks! Billie falls, but she holds onto the foot! She makes it a HEEL HOOK!!

Yuka endures, grabs Billie’s leg, ANKLE LOCK!! The fans fire up while both women endure and put the pressure on the other! They both move around, trying to find a point of leverage! Then they start firing forearms! The fans rally, Billie goes back to the HEEL HOOK!! Yuka grabs the rope, but so does Billie?! That’s a DOUBLE ROPEBREAK, and now no one is safe! We’re at the ten minute mark, one of the longest Pure Rules matches in the Women’s Division to date! Yuka and Billie rise up, the fans rally and duel, and Yuka fires a forearm! Billie fires back! Yuka fires another forearm, but Billie fires back! The fans are getting louder as the shots keep going!

Yuka fire a flurry, but Billie KNEES low! Billie runs, but Yuka DROPKICKS the leg out! Yuka runs, but Billie dodges the lariat! Billie runs back up to BOOT! Yuka rebounds to ROLLING ELBOW! Billie rebounds to HEEL KICK! Yuka ROCKS Billie, ROCKS her again, and then runs up! Billie dodges, table tops Yuka, and high stack, WITH ROPES! BILLIE WINS!!

Winner: Billie Starkz, by pinfall (advances to the finals)

At 10 minutes and 43 seconds, Billie bends the Pure Rules to her advantage and seals the deal! Billie and Deonna will meet in the championship match, but will Billie make history again by becoming the inaugural ROH Women’s Pure Champion? Or will that honor belong to the Virtuosa?

My Thoughts:

A very good episode for ROH, especially as part two of the go-home. Mone of course won her match, but I will say Larkan is good at this goofy, over the top kind of character selling Mone’s offense. Mone could certainly win at Final Battle to keep the Women’s TV title, but it’d be a great start to the larger story of #UltiMone falling apart if Red Velvet took this title back and basically started where she left off before her injury. Mortos VS Komander was great stuff, but of course Sammy had a part to play. All that was a very good brawl to send us to Survival of the Fittest, but I feel like now this means Bandido finds a way to retain. Or Blake Christian wins because he wasn’t anywhere near this.

I figured Castle & The Outrunners, which Castle himself might be trying to name the (Pea)cockrunners, would win their match, but that whole segment was so The Demand could attack again. The go-home math would say Ricochet actually loses, but that can’t be, right? He just got the belt, this is the first defense, and it’s on an ROH PPV, not an AEW event. Though, how hilarious would it be if Ricochet’s arrogance cost him and he got embarrassed like that? Again, Castle is a legit wrestler and hit it big in ROH in the past, this would be a great way to elevate Castle again.

A shame about Aminata, but with her being out of Blood & Guts, it was also pretty clear she wasn’t going to be 100% by the time her tournament match came up. Not to harp on the horribly slow pacing of this tournament by TK, but if they’d gotten things going, maybe we would’ve gotten Aminata VS Deonna before the neck injury. Though, perhaps that injury was inevitable, so it might’ve been a wash. Billie VS Yuka was great stuff, pushing the time limit and the ropebreak limit much further than even some Men’s Pure Rules matches do these days. Great win for Billie with a similar loophole to what we’ve seen Lee Moriarty use, Deonna VS Billie will be great stuff.

My Score: 8.7/10