ROH TV Results – March 30, 2023 – Athena vs. Emi Sakura

Mar 30, 2023

March 30, 2023
St. Louis, MO – Chaifetz Arena
Commentary – Ian Riccaboni and Caprice Coleman
Results via Suit Williams of F4WOnline.com

Quick Match Results

Aussie Open defeated Tony Nese & Ari Daivari via Coriolis (pinfall)
Miyu Yamashita defeated Shazza McKenzie via Skull Kick (pinfall)
The Embassy defeated JP Griffy, Dak Draper, & Arin Singh via Apron-to-Inside Superplex (pinfall)
AR Fox & Metalik defeated The Infantry via Ropewalk Elbow Drop (pinfall)
ROH Women’s World Championship – Athena (c) defeated Emi Sakura via Crossface (submission)
La Faccion Ingobernable & The Kingdom defeated Top Flight & The Lucha Brothers via Bull’s Horns (pinfall)
ROH Pure Championship – Wheeler Yuta (c) defeated Leon Ruffin via Hammerlock Crossface (submission)
El Hijo del Vikingo defeated Blake Christian via Hurricanrana Driver (pinfall)
Eddie Kingston defeated Christopher Daniels via Uraken (pinfall)

Tony Nese & Ari Daivari vs. Aussie Open (Kyle Fletcher & Mark Davis)

Aussie Open made their way to the ring to a big pop from this St. Louis crowd. Fletcher and Daivari started off. Davis tagged in and took down both Varsity Athletes before Fletcher came in to hit tandem offense on both men. Aussie Open were set up for the double forearms, but Sterling hooked Davis’ leg. As Davis was tied up with him, Nese and Daivari worked on Fletcher on the outside.

The Athletes isolated Fletcher in their corner, losing the advantage when Daivari missed a top rope splash. He made the hot tag to Davis, who ran wild on Nese and Daivari with big strikes. Nese escaped a Waterslide attempt but ran right into a pop-up powerslam from Davis for a nearfall. Fletcher tagged in and went for the Dental Plan, but Daivari got in the ring to cut it off.

Aussie Open isolated Nese for the Coreolis, but Sterling got on the apron and cut them off. Nese dumped Davis out of the ring, allowing the Athletes to get tandem offense in on Fletcher. Nese capped off the offensive flurry with a 450 Splash, but Fletcher kicked out.

Fletcher fought off them off long enough for Davis to get in and hit the Dental Plan on Nese. They hit an assisted cutter on Daivari, then ran the Athletes into each other on the floor. They superkicked Sterling, hit the forearm smashes on Nese, then scored the win with Coreolis.

Winner: Aussie Open via Pinfall.

Miyu Yamashita vs. Shazza McKenzie

Yamashita took control early, laying in the kicks to McKenzie’s midsection. McKenzie tripped her up and scored a nearfall with a bulldog. McKenzie hit a set of kitchen sink knees before hitting a Northern Lights Suplex for a two count. Yamashita fought out of an Octopus hold before hitting a triangle corner kick for a nearfall.

A forearm in the corner got Yamashita another nearfall. Yamashita countered an O’Connor Roll and hit a running kick for a two count. McKenzie got Yamashita tied up in the ropes and hit a set of kicks before getting a nearfall with a high crossbody. Yamashita caught McKenzie with a set of mid kicks before hitting a spinning roundhouse kick to score the win.

Winner: Miyu Yamashita via Pinfall.

The Embassy (Brian Cage, Kaun, & Toa Liona) defeated JP Griffy, Dak Draper, & Arin Singh

Cage and Draper started, with Cage powering around the 6’7” Draper. After a Cage German suplex, Griffey and Kaun tagged in. Griffey rocked Liona with some strikes, but Liona sent Griffey flying with a beel.

Singh tagged in but got caught with a crossbody from Liona. Kaun tagged in and hit a backbreaker on the top turnbuckle. Liona followed it with a senton on the apron before Cage finished Singh off with the outside-in superplex. A total squash.

Winner: The Embassy via Pinfall.

The Infantry (Shawn Dean & Carlie Bravo) vs. AR Fox & Metalik

Metalik and Dean started off, with Metalik hitting his signature offense on Dean. Metalik lost Dean on a tilt-a-whirl and Dean looked to land on his head. Dean was well enough to hit tandem offense with Bravo on Metalik soon after. Bravo hit ten punches in the corner on Metalik before sending Dean into Metalik in the corner. The Infantry hit an offensive flurry of splashes and elbows for a nearfall.

Bravo and Dean did more work on Metalik, with Dean hitting a Sky High on Metalik for a nearfall. Bravo put Metalik on the top rope, but Metalik got out and hit a sunset flip powerbomb. Fox tagged in and ran wild on Bravo. He hit a twisting suplex on Dean before dropping Bravo with an enzuigiri. Fox hit the roll through cutter on Bravo for a nearfall.

Metalik took out Dean with a springboard moonsault, but back in the ring, Bravo rolled into a facebuster for a nearfall. After some confusion on a tag, Fox hit Lo Mein Pain on Bravo before Metalik followed it with a rope-walk elbow drop for the win.

Winner: AR Fox & Metalik via Pinfall.

ROH Women’s World Championship
Emi Sakura vs. Athena (c)

Not only would this have fit right in on a Bloodsport card, but it would have been one of the best matches of the night. This was an intense, hard-hitting battle that I highly recommend. My hope is that Sakura gets regular work in ROH, as she’s really been able to get over in her last few appearances on AEW/ROH television.

The winner of this match would go on to defend the title at Supercard of Honor against Yuka Sakazaki.

Sakura brought the fight to Athena to start, sending her to the apron with forearms, and sending her to the floor with a crossbody. Athena sent Sakura into the post before dropping her with a side suplex on the apron. Athena hit a shotgun dropkick that sent Sakura into the apron. Suruga tried to hit a crossbody on Athena, but Athena caught her and dropped her with a bodyslam on the floor. Sakura took advantage of the distraction and sent Athena into the steps, before hitting a crossbody into the steps.

Back in the ring, Athena cut Sakura off on a moonsault attempt and stuck her in the Tree of Woe. Athena drilled Sakura with kicks before clubbering on her in the middle of the ring. After a pair of splashes from Athena, Sakura cut off a third with a chop. Sakura hit a delayed butterfly backbreaker for a nearfall as the crowd chanted her name. Sakura hit a top rope moonsault, but only scored a two count.

The two engaged in a forearm battle that devolved into a chop battle that Sakura won with a lariat. Athena cartwheeled out of Sakura’s reverse DDT and hit a big boot for a nearfall. The crowd gave this a This Is Awesome chant as Athena went to the top rope for the O Face, but Sakura caught Athena and hit the reverse DDT for a nearfall. Sakura followed up with a Tiger Driver for another nearfall.

Sakura hammered Athena with palm strikes before Athena cut her off with a forearm. Athena hit Sakura with the double knee facebuster and transitioned into the Crossface for the win.

Winner: Athena via Submission to retain the ROH Women’s World Championship.

After the match, Athena went after Sakura’s knee and trapped it in the stairs. After Suruga tried and failed to cut Athena off, Yuka Sakazaki fought Athena off. The two got into a pull-apart brawl, with Athena beating up security for stopping the fight. Sakazaki hit a crossbody into Athena and a bunch of security before standing tall with the ROH Women’s Title.

La Faccion Ingobernable (Rush & Dralistico) & The Kingdom (Mike Bennett & Matt Taven) vs. Top Flight (Dante & Darius Martin) & The Lucha Brothers (Rey Fenix & Penta El Zero Miedo)

This was a constant flurry of offense. It was very fun to watch, and a lot harder to do play-by-play for. A great preview for the Reach For The Sky ladder match tomorrow night.

Riccaboni brought up how Taven once lost the ROH World Title to Rush, his partner tonight. After some glove frivolity with Penta and Taven, the match quickly devolved into a Pier Six brawl. The Kingdom cut off a Top Flight dive, allowing LFI to take out the Lucha Brothers on the floor. The rudo team isolated Penta, with the Kingdom hitting tandem offense on both Lucha Brothers. Penta tagged out to Dante Martin, who LFI quickly cut off. Bennett tagged in, with Taven hitting Just the Tip on Martin for a nearfall.

Penta tagged in, and the Lucha Brothers hit superkicks to all four of their opponents. A wheelbarrow splash from Fenix got a nearfall on Taven. Taven hit the Kick of the King on Fenix to set up the Proton Pack, but Penta cut them off and kicked them away. Darius Martin tagged in, with Top Flight hitting tandem offense on Rush and Dralistico. Dralistico hit a springboard codebreaker and followed it with a springboard destroyer. Rush followed up with the Bull’s Horns for the win.

Winner: La Faccion Ingobernable & The Kingdom via Pinfall.

In-Ring: Mark Briscoe, Samoa Joe

Mark Briscoe made his way to the ring. He talked about how he wasn’t going to win the ROH TV Title just for himself. He was going to win it for himself, for his kids, for Jay’s kids, and for everyone who has ever rolled with the Briscoes. Briscoe said that winning the TV Title was his destiny. Samoa Joe interjected on the video screen. He said that Briscoe had forgotten who Joe was, but Joe would quickly remind him at Supercard of Honor.

Backstage: Jay Lethal, Mark Briscoe

Dasha Fuentes interviewed Jay Lethal, who asked for this time. He wanted to say something to Mark Briscoe, who was coming back from the ring. Lethal wished Briscoe luck in his title match against Samoa Joe. Lethal played this as a complete babyface.

ROH Pure Championship
Leon Ruffin vs. Wheeler Yuta (c)

BJ Whitmer, Dean Malenko, & Jerry Lynn were the judges for this Pure Title match. The winner of this match would go on to defend the title against Katsuyori Shibata tomorrow night. Yuta came out with the new design of the Pure Championship.

Yuta quickly tied Ruffin up with a single leg crab, but Ruffin slipped out into a pin cover. Yuta caught Ruffin on an evasion attempt and dropped him with a German suplex. Yuta tied Ruffin up with a Cobra Twist, forcing Ruffin to use his first rope break. The announcers made the connection of Yuta using the foundational hold of training in New Japan as a call out of Shibata.

Yuta tied Ruffin up with a dungeon leg lock, before walking Ruffin closer to the ropes so Ruffin would have to use his second rope break. The announcers made it clear that this was Yuta’s strategy – to force his opponent to exhaust their rope breaks. Ruffin dodged a charge and hit a neckbreaker. Ruffin used springboards to get away from Yuta, but Yuta knocked him out of the sky with a forearm. Yuta locked on a crossface to get the tap and retain the title.

Winner: Wheeler Yuta via Submission to retain the ROH Pure Championship.

After the match, Yuta ran down the names he’s beaten before saying that Shibata’s efforts wouldn’t be enough. Katsuyori Shibata then made his way to the ring. Yuta tried running him down, but Shibata ripped the microphone out of his hands and went nose-to-nose with him before Yuta left the ring.

Blake Christian vs. El Hijo del Vikingo

Vikingo is as incredible as advertised. He is one of the most breathtaking professional wrestlers that I’ve ever seen in real time. Christian kept up with him, and gave us a fantastic match. Seek this one out.

The AAA Mega Championship was not on the line here. There were people in the St. Louis crowd jumping for joy as Vikingo’s name came up on the video board. They started fast, with no one gaining a clear advantage. Vikingo sidestepped a dropkick and hit a running shooting star press for a nearfall. Vikingo hit a handspring into the corner before hitting a step-up hurricanrana. Vikingo followed it up with a springboard inverted 450 to the floor, which looked as insane as it sounds.

Back in the ring, Vikingo laid some shots into Christian. Christian came back with a low dropkick and a bottom-rope 619. Christian hit a handspring kick that sent Vikingo to the floor, then followed him to the outside with a Fosbury Flop. Christian brought Vikingo back into the ring and scored a nearfall. Christian laid on Vikingo with a chinlock as the crowd chanted for Vikingo. Christian sent Vikingo into the ropes, but Vikingo bounced off the ropes with his arms and hit a hurricane kick.

Vikingo caught Christian on a dive and hit a uranage. He followed it with an outside-in Phoenix Splash for a nearfall. Vikingo went up for the inverted 450, but Christian cut him off and took him down with a German Suplex. Christian met Vikingo on the apron and lifted him up in an electric chair, but Vikingo took him down with a poisonrana. Vikingo went for a Shooting Star Press to the floor, but Christian moved and hit a Spanish Fly. Christian followed it with a 450 splash in the ring, but only got a two count.

This Is Awesome chants rang out as Vikingo fought out of a suplex. Vikingo set Christian up on the top rope before following him to the top. Vikingo went for a reverse Spanish Fly, but they both landed on their feet. Christian hit a lariat and went to follow it with a powerbomb, but Vikingo rolled through with a Frankensteiner for the win.

Winner: El Hijo del Vikingo via Pinfall.

Fans bowed at the men in the ring as Christian and Vikingo shook hands and adhered to the Code of Honor.

Backstage: Blake Christian, Prince Nana, The Embassy

Dasha interviewed Blake Christian in the back. Christian was quickly cut off by Prince Nana, who asked him to bail on tomorrow’s Six-Man Title match before getting his heart broken. Christian said no, so The Embassy jumped him before Christian’s partners – AR Fox & Metalik – ran them off.

Christopher Daniels vs. Eddie Kingston

Dueling chants for both men broke out as they started off. Kingston cut off Daniels with a back elbow before hitting a kitchen sink knee and a butterfly suplex for a nearfall. Kingston hit a Saito Suplex and called for the Backfist, but Daniels ducked it and hit a neckbreaker. Daniels tied Kingston up in the ropes and clubbered on him before sending Kingston into the corner with a hard Irish Whip.

Daniels hit the STO for a nearfall. Kingston peppered Daniels with strikes to the knees, but Daniels hit a facebuster and transitioned into a Koji Clutch. Kingston got to the ropes and initiated a forearm battle that Daniels cut off with a knee to the bread basket. Kingston fought out of an Angel’s Wings attempt and laid in the chops to Daniels. Daniels dropped the straps and laid in the chops to Kingston. We then got one hell of a chop battle as the crowd fired up.

Kingston ducked a chop and hit an enzuigiri, following it with a big boot for a nearfall. Kingston hit a T-Bone suplex that sent Daniels into the corner. Daniels cut off the machine gun chops in the corner before pulling the straps back up. Kingston hit another enzuigiri before scoring the win with two Backfists.

Winner: Eddie Kingston via Pinfall.

Daniels shook Kingston’s hand before ROH World Champion Claudio Castagnoli came out with a brand new World Title belt.

Kingston and Castagnoli went face-to-face as Claudio held the title up high. Kingston challenged Castagnoli to a title match right here in St. Louis. Castagnoli disrobed and looked ready to fight but bailed at the last second. Kingston got a mic and called Castagnoli an “upside-down diamond.” The crowd smartened me up to what that meant.

Kingston said that if the fans didn’t order the PPV, they would feel like crap. Kingston said he couldn’t give his mother a daughter-in-law or a granddaughter because he was too focused on pro wrestling. He said that Castagnoli met his parents and shook their hands, but didn’t do business for Kingston when it was time to do it. He left to dress up like a f*****g clown and be an entertainer. Kingston said that the spirit of ROH and former champions like Daniels, Homicide, Xavier, & Low Ki ran through him, and that he would win the ROH World Title.