Our ROH Final Battle results for tonight include Chris Jericho defending the ROH World Championship against Matt Cardona and Billie Starkz challenging Athena for the ROH Women’s World Championship. Plus, Dustin Rhodes and Sammy Guevara will defend the ROH World Tag Team Championship against The Righteous.
ROH Final Battle Card
The card is as follows:
- ROH World Championship: Chris Jericho (c) vs. Matt Cardona
- ROH Women’s World Championship: Athena (c) vs. Billie Starkz
- Texas Bullrope Match for ROH World Tag Team Championship: Dustin Rhodes & Sammy Guevara (c) vs. The Righteous (Vincent & Dutch)
- ROH Women’s World Television Championship: Red Velvet (c) vs. Leyla Hirsch
- ROH Pure Championship: Lee Moriarty (c) vs. TBA
- Survival of the Fittest for ROH World Television Championship: Brian Cage (c) vs. Komander vs. Mark Davis vs. AR Fox vs. Blake Christian vs. Willie Mack
- Katsuyori Shibata vs. Mark Billington
- Mansoor vs. Atlantis Jr
- Jay Lethal vs. QT Marshall
- The Dark Order vs. Grizzled Young Veterans
- LeeJ (Lee Johnson & EJ Nduka) vs. Gates of Agony
- Harley Cameron vs. Hanako
- The Infantry vs. Undisputed Kingdom
ROH Final Battle Results
The pay-per-view starts with the Zero Hour pre-show. The broadcast team welcomes viewers.
The Dark Order (John Silver & Alex Reynolds) (with Evil Uno) vs. Grizzled Young Veterans (James Drake & Zack Gibson)
Reynolds and Drake start the match and feel each other out. Reynolds gains an early advantage, but Drake gets back to their feet, and they’re evenly matched. A crossbody helps Reynolds gain the upper hand. The Dark Order double-team Gibson. The Grizzled Young Veterans take control. Silver responds with some kicks. Drake takes him down with a dragon screw. Gibson and Drake isolate Silver. Gibson targets Silver’s wounded leg. Silver rallies with a hurricanrana.
Gibson and Reynolds tag in. Reynolds rallies with a flurry of offense. He drills Gibson with a shot to the face and gets a two-count with a powerbomb. The Grizzled Young Veterans gain the advantage, but Reynolds keeps rolling. Reynolds and Silver hit a Spear/Brainbuster combo on the floor. Grizzled Young Veterans double-team Reynolds with a Doomsday Device. Evil Uno gets on the apron, distracted Grizzled Young Veterans. Uno hits Drake with some paper. Reynolds and Silver hit a series of double-team moves on Drake. Silver fires up with some strikes. Drake kicks Silver’s injured leg. Drake and Gibson hit the high-low for the win.
Winners: Grizzled Young Veterans (James Drake & Zack Gibson)
Drake and Gibson celebrate after the bell.
Grade: B+
Solid match here. They effectively tied Silver’s hamstring injury into the match. Both teams are underrated, and this was a fun way to start the show.
Harley Cameron vs. HANAKO
Cameron does some push-ups and shakes hands with HANAKO. They go back and forth early on. HANAKO drops Cameron with a shoulder block. Cameron and HANAKO battle for positioning, and HANAKO drops Harley with a suplex. Cameron gets her knees up on a dive and goes for a sunset flip, but HANAKO counters and drills Cameron with a forearm and a boot. She sends Cameron to the outside.
Cameron slams HANAKO into the steel steps. Back in the ring, Cameron grounds HANAKO. HANAKO rallies and takes control. Cameron hits a Shining Wizard for a two-count. HANAKO hits a backbreaker and slams Jay for the win.
Winner: HANAKO
Grade: B
Cameron continues to impress, and this was an impressive outing for HANAKO as well. ROH continues to tap into AEW’s working relationships with other promotions, and it has been beneficial for the depth of these cards.
The Infantry (Capt. Shawn Dean & Shawn Bravo) (with Trish Adora and Shane Taylor) vs. Undisputed Kingdom (Matt Taven & Mike Bennett)
The two teams start brawling right away. Taven dives onto The Infantry at ringside. Bennett takes the fight to Bravo, and The Infantry double-teams him. Dean trips up Taven at ringside and hits him with a stunner. The Infantry superkicks Taven. They double-team Taven and isolate him. Taylor drills Taven with a stiff shot to the face. Taven rallies and tags Bennett, but the referee doesn’t see it, so the tag doesn’t count.
Taven keeps fighting and tags Bennett, who clears house with a flurry of offense. He slams Bravo onto Dean with a Spicolli Driver. The Infantry takes control. Bennett rallies, but Dean and Bravo double-team him with a slam. Bennett counters the Boot Camp and tags Taven, who fires up with a splash and a series of strikes. Taven hits a springboard kick. Taven and Bennett double-team Bravo. Taylor distracts Taven and Bennett, and Adora interferes. The Infantry hits Boot Camp for a near fall. Taven and Bennett get the win with Rockstar Supernova.
Winners: Undisputed Kingdom (Matt Taven & Mike Bennett)
Grade: B+
Good showing for both teams here. Taven and Bennett scoring the win in the Hammerstein Ballroom was the right call, given their history with ROH. They remain very underrated. This win might put them on track for a title shot. The Infantry’s newfound aggression is working as well, and they’re a strong addition to Shane Taylor Promotions.
A video package hypes up the world title match between Chris Jericho and Matt Cardona.
LeeJ (Lee Johnson & EJ Nduka) vs. Gates of Agony (Bishop Kaun & Toa Liona)
Kaun and Johnson start the match and battle back and forth. Johnson catches Kaun with a dropkick. Nduka and Johnson double-team Kaun. Nduka slams Kaun to the mat. LeeJ maintains the advantage. Kaun fires up, and Liona crushes him with a senton. Liona slams Johnson on the floor.
Gates of Agony double-team Johnson. Nduka tags in and squares off with Liona. They trade blows. Nduka takes control, but Liona clotheslines him. Nduka drops Liona with a Spear. Johnson superkicks Liona, who responds with one of his own. Gates of Agony take control. Kaun dropkicks Nduka. Johnson hits a frog splash. Nduka takes Liona down with a shoulder tackle. Nduka hits a moonsault.
Liona plants Nduka with a Samoan Drop. Liona hits a runng knee on Nduka, smashing him into the steps. Johnson rallies and dives onto Liona at ringside.
Gates of Agony overpower Johnson and hit Open The Gates for a two-count. They hit it again for the win.
Winners: Gates of Agony
The teams show sportsmanship and celebrate together. Johnson and Nduka turn on Gates of Agony and leave them laid out.
Grade: B
Gates of Agony are overdue for a good run as a team. They have been features as a trio with Brian Cage, but this could be the start of a new chapter for them. The double turn after the match shakes things up as well. Nduka has a lot of potential, and he had a good showing here.
ROH Final Battle Main Card Results
The broadcast begins with a video packaging highlighting the card and the Hammerstein Ballroom.
Mansoor (with Mason Madden) vs. Atlantis Jr
Mansoor and Atlantis Jr. feel each other out early on. A pin attempt gets Mansoor an early two-count. Mansoor hits an arm drag and continues to control the action. Atlantis Jr. gains the upper hand. Mansoor reaches the ropes to escape a leg-lock. Madden trips up Atlantis Jr. when he goes for a springboard off the ropes. Mansoor slams Atlantis Jr. into the barricade.
Mansoor hits a slingshot neckbreaker and a Falcon Arrow. He maintains the advantage. Atlantis Jr. rallies. Madden distracts Atlantis Jr., and Mansoor slams him off the ropes. Atlantis Jr. dodges a moonsault. Mansoor slams him into the corner. They battle back and forth. Atlantis Jr. slams Mansoor into the corner. Mansoor blocks a frog splash. Madden interferes, and a masked man emerges from underneath the ring. He reveals himself to be Danhausen, and he hits Madden below the belt. Atlantis Jr. rallies and dives onto MxM Collection. He hits a frog splash for the win.
Winner: Atlantis Jr.
Atlantis Jr. celebrates after the bell. Madden attacks him, but Danhausen makes the save. Danhausen curses Madden and suplexes him. Danhausen dumps teeth into Madden’s mouth and hits him. Atlantis Jr. and Danhausen stand tall.
Grade: B+
The match was better than you’d expect, as Mansoor went toe-to-toe with Atlantis Jr. Danhausen’s return was a very fun surprise, it was great to see him back. This was an unexpected spot for it to happen, but a feud between Danhausen and MxM Collection sounds like comedic gold.
In an interview, ROH World Champion Chris Jericho hypes up his match with Matt Cardona. He riles up the crowd by talking about baseball star Juan Soto.
Mark Billington Makes ROH Debut
Katsuyori Shibata vs. Mark Billington
Billington and Shibata go back and forth, and they’re evenly matched. Shibata takes Billington down and targets his leg. Billington turns it around and goes after Shibata’s leg. He sends Shibata to the outside and dives onto him. Shibata answers with a big boot, knocking Billington down. Back in the ring, he grounds Billington and continues to target his leg.
Shibata suplexes Billington. Billington answers with a brainbuster. Shibata hits a running dropkick. He suplexes Billington. Shibata traps Billington in an arm-bar, and he reaches the ropes. Billington dropkicks Shibata and clotheslines him. Billington hits a DDT onto the apron. Shibata locks in a sleeper hold, and Billington passes out, so Shibata is declared the winner.
Winner: Katsuyori Shibata
Grade: B
Shibata hasn’t lost a step, despite the medical issues he faced a few years ago. Having Billington work with an established veteran like him was beneficial, as Billington is still fairly young in his career. Hopefully, he’ll continue to gain experience in ROH.
A video package hypes up the match between QT Marshall and Jay Lethal.
QT Marshall Faces Jay Lethal
QT Marshall vs. Jay Lethal (with Karen Jarrett & Sonjay Dutt)
Marshall enters with a nWo-inspired entrance, and he’s wearing gearing inspired by Randy Savage. Lethal enters as “Black Machismo”. Marshall hits Lethal with a cheap shot. Lethal takes control and hits a diving axe-handle. Marshall avoids one dive, but Lethal dives onto him. Karen gets in Lethal’s face, and he hugs her. Marshall attacks Lethal from behind.
Marshall controls the action. Lethal hits a crossbody and a shoulder tackle. Marshall gains the upper hand again. Lethal fires up with some strikes. Marshall goes for a handspring, and Lethal counters. Lethal gets a two-count with a neckbreaker. He traps Marshall in a Figure-Four Leg-Lock. Aaron Solo tries to interfere, but Sonjay Dutt traps him in a Figure-Four. Marshall drops Dutt with a Diamond Cutter. Lethal drops Marshall with the Lethal Combination. Solo trips up Lethal when he goes to the top rope. Karen goes to slap him, but Solo blocks it. Jeff Jarrett comes out and smashes a guitar over Solo’s head. Lethal hits a diving elbow for a two-count.
Marshall counters the Lethal Combination and hits Lethal with a Crossrhodes for a two-count. Lethal counters a cutter. Lethal catches Marshall with a cutter. Marshall responds with the Lethal Injection for a two-count. They trade blows. Lethal gains the upper hand and hits the Lethal Injection for the win.
Winner: Jay Lethal
Grade; A
This was overbooked, but it was a lot of fun. Marshall’s nWo entrance and Lethal’s Black Machismo gimmick returning were a great combo. Jeff Jarrett making a run-in added to the chaotic feel of the match. As seen with Marshall’s match with Big Boom AJ, this was just effective fundamentals; good guy versus bad guy, with some extra ingredients added in. Marshall and Lethal really brought it here, and they delivered one of the most fun matches on the card.
Red Velvet Defends The Gold At ROH Final Battle
ROH Women’s World Television Championship: Red Velvet (c) vs. Leyla Hirsch
Red Velvet and Hirsch battle back and forth early on, and they’re evenly matched. Velvet gains the upper hand and drops Hirsch with an STO. She drills Hirsch with some strikes in the corner. Hirsch hits a series of strikes and takes control. She dumps Velvet with a suplex, but the champion answers with a Spear. Hirsch slams Levet into the corner.
Hirsch targets Velvet’s arm. She gets a two-count with a German suplex. Velvet and Hirsch trade blows. Hirsch slams Velvet and hits a moonsault. She continues to hone in on Velvet’s elbow. Hirsch nails Velvet with a stiff shot to the face. Velvet slams her way out of an arm-bar. She kicks Hirsch’s arm. Velvet drops Hirsch with a stiff right hand to the face. Hirsch hits Velvet with the Snake Eyes. Velvet rocks her with a spinning kick. Velvet goes under the ring and gets a turnbuckle. The referee stops her, and Velvet hits Hirsch with another turnbuckle when the referee isn’t looking. She then gets the three count to clinch the win.
Winner and still ROH Women’s World Television Champion: Red Velvet
Grade: B
Velvet has had a solid reign as champion, and it continued here. The story of her having to cheat to win came across well, and Hirsch was protected in the loss. During the post-show, Tony Khan teased that Velvet could face some international challengers, which could build her up nicely.
Lee Moriarty’s Open Challenge
ROH Pure Championship: Lee Moriarty (c) vs. TBA
Moriarty comes to the ring. His opponent is revealed to be Nigel McGuinness. McGuinness grabs a microphone and says he wants to do this under the old-school ROH rules. Shane Taylor takes some shots at McGuinness and his age. McGuinness calls Taylor a coward and a “p*ssy.” They go back and forth, but Moriarty says he needs this, so the match gets underway.
Moriarty and McGuinness shake hands. They battle for positioning early on. McGuinness forces Moriarty to use an early rope break. Moriarty hits McGuiness with a closed fist, and the referee charges him with his second ropebreak. Taylor disputes the call and demands a second referee to come to the ring, but the call stands. McGuiness goes for a choke. He hits Moriarty with some open-hand strikes. McGuinness maintains the advantage and targets Moriarty’s shoulder. Moriarty goes for the Border City Stretch, forcing McGuinness to use a ropebreak.
Taylor distracts McGuinness at ringside, and Moriarty tries to capitalize, but Nigel sees him coming and dodges Lee, causing him to hit Taylor. Back in the ring, Moriarty evades the Tower of London, drills McGuinness with an uppercut, and suplexes him. McGuinness hits the Tower of London. Moriarty traps McGuinness in the Border City Stretch, forcing him to use a rope break. Mortiarty kicks McGuinness and locks in the Border City Stretch again, forcing him to use his final ropebreak.
The champion tries to use the ropes on a pin attempt, but the referee breaks it up. McGuinness levels Moriarty with a lariat. McGuinness hits another lariat. McGuiness hits the Tower of London, but Moriarty gets to use his final ropebreak to stop the pin. Moriarty and McGuinness trade blows. They keep battling. Moriarty drops McGuinness with a lariat. He locks in the Border City Stretch, but McGuiness escapes. Moriarty slams McGuinness. He again locks in the Border City Stretch, forcing McGuinness to tap out.
Winner and still ROH Pure Champion: Lee Moriarty
Moriarty raises McGuinness’ arm after the bell. The fans chant for McGuinness in an emotional moment. McGuinness picks up an ROH flag and poses with it.
Grade: A
McGuinness was the perfect choice, as he was a huge part of ROH’s past. He looked just as good as he did at AEW Dynamite: Grand Slam. Hopefully, this won’t just be a one-off and he’ll wrestle at least sporadically in ROH. He would be a great addition to the roster. This was a great win for Moriarty, given Nigel’s resume, and Moriarty continues to prove himself as an elite technical wrestler.
Dustin Rhodes And Sammy Rhodes Defend ROH Tag Titles
Texas Bullrope Match for ROH World Tag Team Championship: The Sons of Texas (Dustin Rhodes & Sammy Guevara) (c) vs. The Righteous (Vincent & Dutch)
The match kicks off with a brawl. Guevara dives onto The Righteous at ringside. Dutch dives onto the champions. Rhodes and Guevara suplex Dutch. The champions control the action. The two teams resume brawling once they’re attached to the bullropes. Rhodes and Guevara both hit Shattered Dreams. The Righteous gain the upper hand. Vincent takes the fight to Guevara while Dutch and Rhodes go up the ramp. Guebara and Vincent are down after a double crossbody.
Dutch slams Rhodes on the floor. He brings out a barbed wire table. Rhodes knocks Dutch off the top, sending him through the barbed wire table. Guevara fires up and takes the fight to Vincent. Vincent hits him with a cutter on the floor. Vincent gets scissors and cuts the strap off of his wrist. He wraps a rope around Rhodes’ neck and chokes him. Rhodes seemingly passes out, but Guevara attacks Vincent.
Guevara catches Vincent with a cutter on the floor. Guevara brings out a table and a ladder. He goes for a dive off the ladder, but Vincent moves, so Guevara goes through the table.
Rhodes rallies, but The Righteous hits him with a bell. Vincent hits Rhodes with a cutter, but Guevara breaks up the pin. Guevara takes Vincent and himself over the ropes and down to the floor with a crossbody. Rhodes hits Dutch with a Destroyer. Guebara nails Vincent with a GTH. Rhodes points to the heavens, paying tribute to Dusty Rhodes, hits Dutch with a bell, and pins him for the win.
Winners and ROH World Tag Team Champions: The Sons of Texas (Dustin Rhodes & Sammy Guevara)
Grade: B+
This one never quite hit that next level, but it was solid all the way through. The table and ladder spots added to it. The Righteous are overdue for a title win, and this felt like their night. The booking was creative, as Vincent cutting himself free of the bullrope was a nice twist. Dustin pointing at the sky to honor Dusty Rhodes was an emotional touch as well.
Survival Of The Fittest For ROH TV Title
Survival of the Fittest for ROH World Television Championship: Brian Cage (c) vs. Komander vs. Mark Davis vs. AR Fox vs. Blake Christian vs. Willie Mack
Christian leaves the ring. He grabs Komander’s leg and slams him into the barricade. Cage and Davis square off. Cage suplexes Davis. Davis gains the upper hand. Mack catches Davis with a knee. Fox kicks Mack. Christian and Fox go back and forth. Fox hits multiple dives to the outside. Komander sends Fox and Christian to the outside and dives onto everyone. Christian superkicks Komander.
Christian dives onto Cage. He hits Komander with a Spear on the apron. Christian dives onto Cage and Mack. Cage slams Christian. Davis takes the fight to Cage. Cage answers with a kick. Cage superplexes both Fox and Komander. The champion slams Komander. Mack drills Christian with an uppercut. He slams Komander and Fox. Mack dishes out some Stunners. Cage drops Mack with a lariat and pins him to eliminate him. Fox hits Cage with a cutter. He drops Davis with a DDT. Komander rallies. Fox spikes him with a DDT on the apron.
Fox dives onto everyone. He hits Komander with a 450 Splash. Cage hits Fox with a powerbomb off the second rope to eliminate him. Cage and Davis trade blows. Davis and Cage exchange German suplexes. Komander fires up with some kicks. Cage slams Komander. He slams Christian. Davis kicks Cage and pins him with a piledriver to eliminate him. Christian hits Davis below the belt and pins him to eliminate him. Komander and Christian go back and forth. Christian suplexes Komander. Christian grounds Komander. He dives onto Komander at ringside.
Komander and Christian keep battling. Christian hits a Spanish Fly. Komander drops Christian with a super Poisonrana. Christian trips Komander up on the ropes and hits a curb stomp. He slams Komander off the second rope. Komander hits a destroyer and a 619. He hits a Shooting Star Press for the win.
Winner and new ROH World Television Champion: Komander
Komander celebrates after the bell.
Grade: A
Well-deserved win for Komander. Each competitor impressed at different points of the match. Blake Christian had a breakout showing, and it’d be great to see more of him in ROH. This was an exciting mix of talent, and the right challenger won, as Komander is an electric performer.
Matt Cardona Challengers For The Gold
ROH World Championship: Chris Jericho (c) (with Bryan Keith) vs. Matt Cardona
Jericho enters with Rockette-like dancers and uses the song “New York, New York” by Frank Sinatra. Cardona extends a handshake, but Jericho flips him off. Cardona hits Radio Silence for a near fall. He takes the fight to Jericho. Cardona dives onto Jericho and Keith. Cardona’s dad, who is in the crowd, pie-faces Jericho. The challenger grabs the title and whips Jericho with it. He hits Jericho with a dropkick.
Jericho catches Cardona with a back bodydrop on the floor. Jericho grounds Cardona and controls the action. Keith attacks Cardona when the referee isn’t looking. Jericho gets in Cardona’s dad’s face and shoves him. Cardona rallies, but Jericho sends him into the steel steps. Jericho slams Cardona onto the stairs. Cardona rallies and gains the upper hand. Cardona hits a missile dropkick. Jericho gets a two-count with a Lionsault. Cardona drops Jericho with a spinebuster. Cardona powerbombs Jericho. Jericho hits the Codebreaker. Both men are down after a clothesline. Jericho goes for the Liontamer.
Cardona rallies, but Jericho counters the Radio Silence. Jericho locks in the Liontamer. Big Bill runs in and kicks Cardona when the referee isn’t looking.
Cardona dodges the Judas Effect and hits the Codebreaker. Cardona goes for a pin, but Bill distracts the referee, Keith hits Cardona with the title for the win.
Winner and still ROH World Champion: Chris Jericho
Keith and Bill attack Cardona after the match. Bandido returns as he makes the save after the match. Bandido fights off Bill and Keith. He stands tall, and Jericho stares him down.
Grade: B
This was good for what it was, but it fell short of some of the other matches on the card. Jericho winning thanks to interference is becoming typical and stale. Cardona pulling off the upset would have been a great moment, though this writer is biased as a long-time fan of his. Bandido’s return elevated the match by adding some excitement after the bell. He would be a good choice to be the one who beats Jericho, as he has been missed during his absence.
Athena Faces Billie Starkz
ROH Women’s World Championship: Athena (c) vs. Billie Starkz
Starkz and Athena shake hands. Athena hits Starkz with some strikes, and Starkz answers with some of her own. They trade blows. Athena slams Starkz with a Spicolli Driver. Starkz fires up with a flurry of offense. Athena traps Starkz in a Stretch Muffler and slams Starkz. Athena maintains the advantage and grounds Starkz. The champion targets Starkz’s leg and kicks it. Athena slams Starkz onto the floor and talks some trash to Billie’s mom at ringside.
Starkz slams Athena onto the steel steps with a Flatliner. Athena responds with a powerbomb onto the floor. Starkz rallies with a DDT. She pays tribute to Sumie Sakai and slams Athena with a two-count. Starkz hits a Brainbuster over her knee. Athena hits a Fallaway Slam off the top rope. Athena keeps rolling with some strikes and gets a two-count with a springboard crossbody. The champion slams Starkz. Starkz counters the O-Face. Athena suplexes Starkz. They exchange strikes.
Starkz spikes Athena with a piledriver. Starkz drops Athena with a forearm. She slams Athena on the apron and hits a Swanton to the outside. Starkz gets Athena back in the ring and slams her for a two-count. Athena sends Starkz over the ropes, and she lands hard on the floor. The referee helps up Starkz, but Athena dives onto them both. Athena gets a microphone from Lexy Nair, but Athena kicks it out of her hand. Starkz spikes Starkz with a Poisonrana. Athena sends Starkz into an exposed turnbuckle and hits the O-Face for the win.
Winner and still ROH Women’s World Champion: Athena
Athena and Nair celebrate after the bell.
Grade: B+
This is tough to grade. The match itself was very good, and there’s nothing particularly to criticize regarding the action itself. But the outcome is questionable, to say the least. This was seemingly set to be the culmination of the story between Athena and Starkz, which has spanned over a year, as Athena beat Billie at ROH Final Battle last year.
Starkz finally having her moment (after many fans hoped to see her win last year) would have been a great ending. Instead, Athena winning again fell flat, and now the road forward is unclear.
ROH Final Battle Grade: B+
It’s hard to give the show an A coming off the ending of the main event alone, as that was a downer. The Jericho/Cardona match before that contributed to the top of the card feeling disappointing. The Survival of the Fittest match was a lot of fun, as was Marshall’s match with Lethal. McGuinness returning was a great moment, and the Pure Title match was superb. Danhausen’s return was an exciting moment as well. Overall, the show was a mixed bag, but the good definitely outweighed the matches that missed the mark.
