McXal's Reviews

Starting this week the Women's Title Tournament takes over television. We'll be seeing tournament bouts almost every week on television (plus Women's Division Wednesday on YouTube) as we move through the tournament with the finals taking place at Death Before Dishonor 18. Our main event tonight sees the winner of the last women's championship tournament; former Women Of Honor World Champion Sumie Sakai facing teenage prodigy Rok-C. We also have the 'Lucha Baddie' Miranda Alize facing 'Pink Dream' Alex Gracia and one of the tournament favourites Nicole Savoy squaring off with the Mazzerati. Quinn McKay is our host, with commentary in Baltimore, MD coming the team of Ian Riccaboni, Chelsea Green and Lenny Leonard (calling his first ROH show since Death Before Dishonor 7 weekend in 2009)

Quinn opens the show by delivering the news that the fans have voted for her to be granted the final spot in the tournament. It means she'll be in first round action next week in a grudge rematch against The Allure's Mandy Leon.

Alize was one of the first names handed a Ticket To Gold which is testament to what an explosive and exciting young wrestler she is. Gracia had to work hard for her ticket but finally earned her spot after a series of courageous and exciting performances on Women's Division Wednesday. These two are apparently long-time friends but both are laser-focused on the gold so are putting that friendship on hold this evening.

Alize takes Gracia down and tries to poke fun at her by tussling her hair...but Alex is, like always, up for the fight and does the same thing right back to her opponent. Gracia springboards off the ropes into a lucha armdrag...so Miranda takes a turn bouncing off the ropes into an armdrag of her own as well. Alex tries her springboard plancha to the floor, only for Alize to move forcing her to eat arena floor! Miranda channels another 'Lucha Baddie' - El Toro Blanco, Rush - by repeatedly ramming her foe into the guardrails soon after. HEADBUTT by Alize! Gracia retaliates with a lungblower to leave them both on the mat though. Somersault senton gets 2...so Miranda boots her in the face and hits an Ace Crusher. Drive-By (Shining Wizard) wins it for Miranda at 06:40 (shown)

Rating - ** - My biggest ask from ROH as this tournament progresses it that they let these talented women break out of the traditional 'Women Of Honor' match formats and deliver something really special. This was spirited and entertaining, but also a tad sloppy in its execution at points whilst also suffering from the usual ROH women's match problem of just not having enough time. Giving them only six minutes forces them to go full throttle from the very start, minimising the drama they're able to build and increasing the likelihood of a mistake being made. 

The 'Queen Of Suplexes' Nicole Savoy has to be among the favourites. She was a dominant SHIMMER Champion and was already taking the Women Of Honor division by storm before the pandemic disrupted operations back in 2020. In her pre-match interview she gets emotional and talks about wanting to be respected as a wrestler in her own right (I presume a reference to her association with Mercedes Martinez and Shayna Baszler in SHIMMER, or Big Swole in AEW) and plans to suplex her way to the title. Mazzerati thinks Nicole should 'stay in the shadows' and will prove herself 'smarter and quicker' in victory over Savoy here.

Mazz steps on Savoy's shoes to piss her off...so Nicole drops her with a rapid armdrag into a shortarm scissors. SavoLock blocked but it is clear that Mazzerati is out-matched if she wants to fight the match on the mat. Nicole keeps her down and continues to target the arm. Mazz escapes and slaps her in the face - trying to provoke Savoy into a fight rather than a wrestling match. She successfully lures Nicole in and delivers a Sole Food in the ropes. Half Nelson Suplex blocked by Mazzerati, injuring Savoy's neck in the ropes as she does so. But Savoy catches her trying a double knee strike and counters it to the ROYAL BUTTERFLY! Having Lenny on commentary means the announce team are more than equipped to discuss Sara Del Rey's legacy in SHIMMER and ROH after that. Savoy dodges a few kicks...so Mazzerati punches her right in the face! TKO by Savoy for 2. HALF NELSON SUPLEX! Savoy advances at 08:38 (shown)

Rating - *** - This was really good; in some ways one of the best matches we've seen from anyone on ROH television in weeks. The story at the core of the match was delightfully simple; Savoy is a lethal technician having studied under wrestlers like Mercedes and Shayna, but Mazzerati is a street-wise, savvy and lightning-quick fighter in her own right. She was pulled apart when it was a wrestling match but almost forced a victory by provoking the usually-composed Savoy into a bitter, aggressive fight. Solid match, with the right person advancing to the next round.

This is perhaps the most intriguing bout of the first round. It pits the teenage 'Prodigy' Rok-C against the Japanese veteran who first wrestled in ROH way back in 2002 (presumably around the time Rok-C was born). She won the tournament to crown the inaugural Women Of Honor Champion in 2018 (the year Rok-C debuted) so has experience and expertise firmly on her side.

Sakai jokes around, mounts her opponent then taunts her. All of which makes the point that she is the firm favourite to win here. Rok-C is almost tapped out inside a minute with a cross armbreaker too. Standing moonsault knee drop by the teenager! She runs the ropes and delivers a flying armdrag too, before delivering a double knee strike in the corner - and there is no smiling or joking from Sumie now. She hauls The Prodigy to the mat for a half crab, trying to injure her back so she can't do any more flips or dives off the top. Rok-C tries to throw strikes with her, but is silenced by a diving knee strike from the veteran. CLOVERLEAF BACKBREAKER nailed! Lion Tamer next which has Rok-C screaming in pain on her way to the ropes. Rok fires up, defying her back injury to come at Sumie with a neckbreaker...so Sakai drills her back again with a back suplex. Spinning heel kicks by the teenager, who chases Sumie up the ropes and hits a frankensteiner! Judas Effect-style elbow by Sakai, into a fisherman buster. Smash Mouth blocked...and Rok-C pins Sumie! She has a look of shock on her face, but the youngster is into the Quarter Finals after winning at 09:35 (shown)

Rating - *** - Like Savoy/Mazzerati, this one had an extremely simple premise which really acted as a launching pad to convey the characters, personalities and skill-sets of the women involved. Sumie was everything we've known her to be in recent years in ROH; at times a smiley, cheerful veteran, at times an asshole. She wanted to dominate Rok-C, she almost inflicted a serious back injury - but crucially she never looked like beating Rok-C. The teenage Prodigy had a counter for everything, had the courage to survive her submission holds and ultimately the speed and trickery to win the match. Putting Rok-C over like this felt like the perfect position for Sakai in this tournament.

NEXT WEEK - New World Champion Bandido teams with Rey Horus to face Brody King and Chris Dickinson alongside Adora/Belle and Mandy/Quinn in the Women's Title Tournament

Tape Rating - *** - As expected, returning the TV show to a focused, tournament-centric episode improves the quality if nothing else. This was a tight hour of wrestling, with barely a shot wasted and total focused placed on the female athletes vying to become Women's Champion. Credit to the team booking this as well. Alize, Savoy and Rok-C are all fresh talents with only limited mainstream exposure, all of whom would be great hands to build a women's division around, and all absolutely the right choice to go deeper in the tournament. Savoy/Mazzerati and Sakai/Rok-C were both well worth checking out if you have ten minutes to spare.