13th Dec2022

‘ROH: Final Battle 2022’ PPV Review

by Phil Wheat

Welcome to our review of this year’s Ring of Honor Final Battle pay-per-view, the latest PPV under the auspices of Tony Khan – a year after ROH’s future looked bleak during the last Final Battle show! Let’s see what went down…

ROH Final Battle – Zero Hour:

Match #1: Jeff Cobb def. Mascara Dorada

The following is courtesy of rohwrestling.com:

Mascara Dorada jumped off the ropes with a Mexican arm drag takeover on Cobb. Outside the ring, Cobb caught Dorada and smashed him into the steel ring post! Cobb went to work on the ribs and back of Dorada, trying to neutralize him. Dorada ducked a clothesline and hit Cobb with a spectacular tornillo over the top rope on Cobb! Dorada followed up with a springboard senton onto Cobb for a near fall! Cobb yanked Dorada off the top rope and squashed Dorada with a standing moonsault for a two-count. Dorada countered the Tour of the Islands for a near fall on Cobb. Mascara Dorada nailed Cobb with a bulldog off the top turnbuckle. Dorada clocked Cobb with a clothesline. Cobb fired back with a pop-up Tour of the Islands and pinned Dorada!

My Score: 2.5 out of 5

Match #2: JAS’s Matt Menard & Angelo Parker def. Shinobi Shadow Squad (Cheeseburger & Eli Isom)

The following is courtesy of rohwrestling.com:

Isom cradled Parker off the bat but Parker quickly kicked out. Cheeseburger tagged in but Parker and Menard used a backbreaker-knee combination for tandem offense on Cheeseburger. Parker unloaded with a Garvin stomp on Cheeseburger, and then went to work on Burger’s wrist. Menard and Parker double teamed Cheeseburger. Finally Burger got the tag to Isom and Isom speared Menard and Parker in the turnbuckles. Parker and Menard planted Isom with a double DDT and then Parker pinned Isom!

My Score: 2 out of 5

Match #3: Willow Nightingale def. Trish Adora

The following is courtesy of rohwrestling.com:

Willow applied head scissors to Adora. Trish Adora used a rolling catch on Willow but Willow quickly kicked out. Willow knocked Adora to the mat with a running shoulder tackle. Willow hit Adora with running hip attacks. Adora fired back with a great Northern Lights suplex. Willow attacked Adora with quick chops in the corner. She followed up with a shotgun dropkick to Adora. Willow pounced Adora out of nowhere. Willow spiked Adora with the Doctor Bomb and pinned her!

My Score: 3 out of 5

Match #4: Top Flight (Dante & Darius Martin) def. The Kingdom (Matt Taven & Mike Bennett)

The following is courtesy of rohwrestling.com:

The Kingdom blindsided Darius at the start of the match. Darius dropkicked Bennett and made the tag to his Darius. Taven inadvertently booted Bennett. Dante knocked Bennett off the apron with a running dropkick off his brother’s back. Darius came in and cleaned house on the Kingdom! Maria stood on the apron, attempting to distract Darius. Taven rocked Darius with the Purple Thunder Bomb! Bennett applied a double wrist lock to Darius. Darius escaped and he and Bennett traded strikes in the center of the ring. Darius unloaded on Bennett and then shocked Bennett with a Spanish Fly. Dante tagged in and splashed Taven with a standing shooting star press. Top Flight used top level tandem offense on Taven. The Kingdom went to work on Darius, with the momentum of the match quickly shifting. Maria jumped up on the apron again, trying to distract Dante. Maria shoved the ref and the ref ejected Maria from the ringside area. Darius hoisted up Bennett and then Dante spring boarded off the top rope, wiping out Bennett and allowing Darius to grab the pin!

My Score: 3 out of 5

ROH Final Battle 2022:

Match #1: AR Fox & Blake Christian def. Dralistico & Rush

The following is courtesy of rohwrestling.com:

Rush and Fox chopped away at each other and then traded forearms. Rush rocked Fox with a stiff forearm. Fox fired back with a kick to the back of Rush’s head. Rush tagged in and whipped Blake into the guardrails. Rush grabbed the auxiliary cords and whipped Blake with it. Meanwhile Dralistico powerbombed Fox onto the ring steps. Black t-boned Dralistico and made the tag to Fox. AR Fox jumped over the top rope and splashed Rush. He followed up with a dive to Dralistico! And then another to Rush! Fox smashed Dralistico with a senton off the top rope for a near fall! AR Fox splashed Dralistico with the 450 and pinned him! After the match, Rush and Dralistico attacked Fox and Blake with steel chairs!

My Score: 2 out of 5

Match #2: ROH Women’s World Championship Match – Athena def. Mercedes Martinez

The following is courtesy of rohwrestling.com:

The champ and Athena slugged it out in the center of the ring until Athena went for the eyes. Athena unloaded with hammer strikes on Mercedes. Athena drove Mercedes to the mat with double knees. Mercedes rallied back, looking for a spider German suplex but Athena had it scouted. Athena powerbombed Martinez from the corner! She followed up with a running thrust kick to the champ for a near fall! Mercedes nailed Athena with a brainbuster for a two-count! Mercedes grapevined Athena’s legs but Athena escaped. Athena swung for the fences, planting Mercedes on the ring apron! Athena went for the shotgun dropkick but Mercedes moved out of the way. Mercedes walloped Athena with the Anarchist’s Suplex on the arena floor. Mercedes attempted to put Athena in the Brass City Sleeper but Athena bit the champ. Athena finished off Mercedes with the O-Face and pinned Mercedes!

My Score: 3 out of 5

Match #3: Swerve In Our Glory (Keith Lee & Swerve Strickland) def. Shane Taylor Promotions (JD Griffey & Shane Taylor)

The following is courtesy of rohwrestling.com:

Griffey used his MMA to kick Keith lee in the ribs. Shane Taylor tagged in but Swerve tagged himself in before Keith Lee and Shane Taylor could lock up. Swerve used a head scissors takeover on Shane Taylor. Keith Lee and Shane Taylor slugged it out like two behemoths. Taylor delivered a right haymaker. Swerve’s adrenaline kicked in but Griffey grabbed him and dropped him across his knee. Griffey applied a triangle choke on Swerve. Instead of helping his partner, Keith Lee went after Taylor. Keith Lee squashed Griffey with a moonsault. Both teams brawled in the center of the ring. Swerve swarmed Shane with his signature combination. Shane Taylor spiked Keith Lee and Lee managed to kick out! Griffey followed up with a kill shot and Lee kicked out of that too! Swerve Strickland deserted his partner, leaving Keith Lee high and dry. Griffey attempted a knock out kick but Lee ducked it and the kick landed on Shane Taylor! Keith Lee finished off Griffey with a jackhammer and Swerve In Our Glory won!

My Score: 3 out of 5

Match #4: ROH World Six-Man Championship Match – The Embassy (Brian Cage, Kaun, & Toa Liona) def. Dalton Castle & The Boys

The following is courtesy of rohwrestling.com:

The Boys tried to swarm Brian Cage, switching in and out. The Boys flew out of the ring but were caught by Toa and Cage. Brian Cage tossed Brent and then hit a lariat on Brandon spinning him inside-out. Brian Cage suplexed Brandon into the ring after Toa splashed Brandon on the apron! Cage used a knee strike on Dalton and tagged in Toa. Toa picked up both Boys and dropped them with a double Samoan backdrop. Brian Cage ate a back elbow from Dalton Castle. Castle followed up with a running bulldog on Cage. The Gates of Agony hurled Brent into Cage who then powerbombed Brent and pinned him!

My Score: 2.5 out of 5

Match #5: ROH Pure Championship Match – Wheeler Yuta def. Daniel Garcia

The following is courtesy of rohwrestling.com:

The judges at ringside were Christopher Daniels, Jerry Lynn, and BJ Whitmer. Yuta and Garcia traded forearms. Garcia used his first warning for a closed fist to Yuta’s face. Wheeler Yuta hit back with a closed fist to Garcia’s face. Garcia suplexed Yuta on the arena floor and then whipped Yuta into the steel ring steps. Garcia booted Yuta in the face. Garcia removed the protection from the turnbuckle hinge but Yuta hit a headbutt to Garcia. Daniel Garcia kicked Yuta and Yuta fell throat-first across the unprotected turnbuckle connector. Garcia wrapped Yuta into the ring ropes and told the ref that Yuta was using his rope break. The ref used his discretion and counted it as an official rope break for Yuta. Garcia wrapped Yuta around the ropes with a surfboard submission and the ref counted it as another rope break for Yuta. Daniel Garcia grabbed Yuta’s arms and stomped on Yuta’s back. Yuta rallied back with a splash on Garcia in the corner. Garcia grabbed the Dragon Sleeper on Yuta out of nowhere, focusing on Yuta’s neck. Before Garcia could turn it into the dragon sleeper, Yuta touched the bottom rope with his boot, forcing the rope break, but exhausting all of his rope breaks for the match. Garcia grabbed an inside catch on Yuta and locked him in a sharpshooter in the center of the ring. Yuta transitioned into a cross face on Garcia. Yuta escaped and he and Garcia traded open hand strikes. Yuta dropped Garcia with a brainbuster. Yuta planted Garcia with a high angle slam for a near fall. Garcia came back, spiking Yuta with a piledrive for a two-count. Garcia went back to a sharpshooter but Yuta didn’t have any rope breaks left. Yuta and Garcia got tangled up in the ropes, both men tumbling to the arena floor. Yuta fought his way out of a piledriver and backdropped Garcia on the ring apron. Yuta trapped Garcia’s legs and nailed Garcia with a piledriver. Yuta blasted Garcia with elbows and the ref stopped the match as Garcia was unconscious.

My Score: 3 out of 5

Match #6: ROH World Tag Team Championship Dog Collar Match – Mark & Jay Briscoe def. FTR (Cash Wheeler & Dax Harwood)

The following is courtesy of rohwrestling.com:

Cash and Mark were chained to one another, while Dax and Jay were chained up to each other. Dax grabbed a double leg takedown and he and Jay began to brawl outside the ring. Mark tried for a double ax handle off the apron but Cash grabbed the chain and whipped Mark with it. Mark was busted open! Harwood hurled a steel chair at Jay Briscoe and then they began to brawl in the stands. Jay blocked a chair from Harwood and countered it. Dax had the chain wrapped around Jay and Dax suplexed Jay. Jay landed on the chains. Mark cracked Cash with the Redneck Kung Fu, hitting Cash in the ear drum! The Briscoes double teamed Dax inside the ring. Dax held Mark back while Cash whipped him with the chain. FTR spun Mark inside-out with the doomsday device for a near fall! Cash had Mark draped over the top rope. Cash was pulling on the rope, with Mark getting deprived of oxygen. Jay nailed Cash with a neck breaker and Mark followed up with the Froggy Bow for a two-count. Mark piled up steel chairs on the arena floor. Mark propped a table next to it. Mark suplexed Cash onto the arena floor. Dax wrapped a chain around his head and rocked Jay with a falling headbutt off the turnbuckles. Dax attempted to hit Jay with the steel chain wrapped around his fist, but Jay pulled ref Mike Posey in the way. The ref was busted wide open. Jay boxed Dax with jabs and followed up with a suplex on Dax. Mark and Cash duked it out on the ring apron. Cash grabbed Mark and planted him on the edge of the ring. Mark climbed to the top rope so he and Jay could finish off Cash with the Doomsday Device but Cash jumped up onto the apron. Wheeler grabbed the chain and yanked on it, sending Mark crashing down from the top rope to the pile of steel chairs on the arena floor! Jay smashed Dax with the Jay Driller on the chain but Dax kicked out at the two-count somehow! Jay hit Dax Harwood with steel chair shots. Dax came back and spiked Jay with a piledriver on a steel chair. Cash slid steel chairs into the ring. Dax propped Jay onto the top turnbuckle. Dax attempted to piledrive Jay off the top rope onto the steel chairs, but Jay escaped and yanked the chain, using it against Dax. Jay superplexed Dax onto a sea of chairs! Jay had the chain wrapped around Dax’s head and kept yanking back until Dax was rendered unconscious, leaving the ref with no choice but to stop the match!

My Score: 5 out of 5

Match #7: ROH World Television Championship Match – Samoa Joe def. Juice Robinson

The following is courtesy of rohwrestling.com:

Samoa Joe and Juice Robinson exchanged chops outside the ring. Joe removed the padding from the floor. Joe tried to grab Juice in a submission but Juice kicked off the edge of the ring, pushing Joe headfirst into the guardrail. Juice splashed Joe with a running cannonball. Samoa Joe ran, jumped through the ropes and landed on Juice outside the ring! Samoa Joe smashed Juice in the mouth with a running boot. Juice boxed Samoa Joe but Joe shrugged it off and countered with a senton. Juice rallied back with a spinebuster. Juice went back to the jabs and chops on Joe in the corner. Juice rocked Joe with a running cannonball in the corner! Juice jumped off the top rope with a flying press for a near fall on Joe. Samoa Joe planted Juice with a powerbomb and then grabbed an STF on Juice! Joe transitioned into a cross face in the middle of the ring. Juice crawled with Joe on his back and managed to grab the bottom rope to force the rope break. Samoa Joe attempted the Muscle Buster but Juice countered with a sunset flip. Juice kicked Samoa Joe, shades of Booker T. Juice climbed to the top rope but Joe jumped to his feet and rammed into Juice, forcing Juice to lose his balance. Samoa Joe wasted no time, dropping Juice hard to the mat with the Muscle Buster and then pinning Juice!

My Score: 2.5 out of 5

Match #8: ROH World Championship Match – Claudio Castagnoli def. Chris Jericho

The following is courtesy of rohwrestling.com:

Claudio tried to shake Jericho’s hand but Jericho wouldn’t adhere to the Code of Honor. Jericho jumped out of the ring and sprinted to attack Ian at the broadcast booth, but Claudio cut off Jericho with a European Uppercut. Claudio blasted Jericho with the hammer and anvil elbow strikes. Jericho was looking for the Code Breaker but Claudio countered with an uppercut and then the Neutralizer for a near fall! Claudio planted Jericho with a gut wrench suplex off the second turnbuckle. “The Swiss Superman” press slammed Jericho onto the ring ropes! Jericho drove Claudio into the metal ring post. Jericho chopped at Claudio’s chest. Claudio popped-up Jericho with a European uppercut. Jericho delivered a driving clothesline to Claudio. Jericho hit a hurracanrana off the top rope on Claudio! Claudio blocked a Code Breaker from Jericho, but Jericho fired back with a lariat to Claudio, sending Claudio over the top rope and to the cold arena floor! Claudio countered the springboard dropkick from Jericho. Chris Jericho suplexed Claudio off the ring apron and onto the arena floor! Claudio’s conditioning paid off, though. Angelo Parker and Matt Menard snuck down to the ring, with Parker distracting the ref while Menard slipped Jericho the baseball bat. Jericho whacked Claudio with the bat. Jericho covered Claudio but Claudio kicked out at two! Ref Paul Turner ejected Menard and Parker from ringside. Jericho got Claudio with the Code Breaker. Jericho signaled for the Judas Effect. Claudio blocked it and countered with the Swing! Jericho tapped out while he was in the Swing!

My Score: 3.5 out of 5

Final Verdict: 3.5/5

No matter what you think about this iteration of Ring of Honor, you can’t deny that Tony Khan can put together a decent pay-per-view. From the pre-show, which gave us a great women’s match AND a great tag team match, things felt like there was a real sense of urgency and excitement. The main show started with a weirdly ended match (a botch or what?), then we got some great matches and some surprising results – plus we even got some AEW storytelling (apt given how much ROH has featured on AEW television). Of course the star of this show was THAT tag team between the Briscoes and FTR, which delivered a terrifying;y bloody match but one that really felt like a true battle for the tag belts. An actual battle. Fitting given the title of this show!

Off

Comments are closed.