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ROH GLORY BY HONOR NIGHT ONE 2021 PPV REPORT
AUGUST 20, 2021
2300 ARENA: PHILADELPHIA, PA
AIRED ON ROH HONOR CLUB & FITE TV
REPORT BY CHRISTOPHER MAITLAND, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Commentators: Ian Riccaboni, Caprice Coleman
Ring Announcer: Bobby Cruise
– Bobby Cruise welcomes the fans to the 2300 Arena. Ian Riccaboni and Caprice Coleman go over the card.
(1) REY HORUS vs. SILAS YOUNG
Silas Young comes out first. He cuts a promo about this being the first proper live show for a long time. He says ROH could have picked any city for this show but they decided to take it back to where ROH began. He calls it the worst wrestling city in the United States. He said Rey Horus is going to come out and all the sheep will cheer for him. Young says he will win and he expects the fans to give him the respect he deserves. As he is talking Horus’ music starts. He comes to the ring.
Code of honor adhered to but Young holds onto Horus’ hands. Horus shoves him. They lock up and Horus gains control with a side headlock. Young throws him into the rope and hits a shoulder charge. Both wrestlers try to gain wrist control. Young breaks this up with a forearm. They trade blows with Horus getting the advantage until Young throws him in the corner. Horus recovers and hits a body scissors. Young counters with a back breaker and follows up with a suplex for a two count. After fighting alongside the rope Young stands on Horus. The action goes outside as Horus gets thrown into the barricade. Horus blocks a brain buster and hits a head scissors on Young. Horus goes in to block the count but Young recovers and throws Horus back into the ring. Young argues with the crowd allowing Horus to hit him with a dive. Horus sets up another one Young walks away but Horus catches him on the other side of the ring. Back inside Horus hits a spinning clothesline and a kick for a two count. Horus climbs the top rope but Young kicks him and hits a superplex for a two count. Horus counters a power bomb into a two count. Young unbuckles Horus masks and turns it around so that Horus can’t see. Young hits Misery for the victory.
WINNER: Silas Young at 7:58
(Maitland’s Thoughts: Good opener. Horus was protected by Young cheating by going for the mask.)
(2) DEMONIC FLAMITA vs. ELI ISOM vs DAK DRAPER vs PJ BLACK vs MIKE BENNETT vs DANHAUSEN
The winner of this match will be ranked in the ROH World Champion rankings. The order of entrances were: Demonic Flamita, Eli Isom. Dak Draper, PJ Black, Mike Bennett, and Danhausen. Before the match starts, Dalton Castle and his Boys come to the ring to encourage Draper. Castle joins in on commentary.
Flamita and Black start. Flamita kicks Black and takes him down with a shoulder charge. Black hits a tornado DDT and Flamita rills toe the outside. Bennett coms in and he trades chops with Black. They both go for a cross body and collide. They roll out of the ring. Isom and Draper go into the ring but Danhausen convinces Isom to go back outside. Danhausen goes for a rest of strength which Draper controls until Danhausen steps on his foot. Danhausen runs the ropes and gets pulled out by Bennett. Draper runs the ropes and gets pulled out by Bennett. Isom and Flamita are in now and trade chops. Flamita gains control and goes to the top rope. The crowd cheers for a move and he gives them a middle finger. Draper runs in gets kicked by Flamita and hit with a DDT for a two count. Isom pushes Flamita off the top rope. Isom and Draper trade forearms. Bennett and Danhausen run in and the four trade shots. Danhausen goes to choke slam Draper and Isom. They break out of it kick him out of the ring and go back to trading blows. Black and Flamita run in but are quickly disposed to focus on Isom and Draper again. They trade forearms again. Isom goes for the Promise but Draper blocks and hits a lariat. The competitors run in and hit each other with moves. Black and Isom are fighting on the top rope. Draper superplexes Isom onto Flamita and Bennett while Black was stuck in the corner. Everyone is out except Danhausen. Danhausen expects to be declared the winner but Todd Sinclair looks at him. Danhausen suplexes Black, then Draper, then Isom, before Bennett goes for a piledriver. Danhausen blocks and hits the Goodnight Hausen. Demonic Flamita runs and hits his top rope GOrd Buster for the three count.
WINNER: Demonic Flamita at 11:47
(Maitland’s Thoughts: Good second match. I think Isom and Draper should wrestle for something like the TV title. They are good opponents for each other but they need a greater incentive. I expected Flamita to win because he has had an ongoing feud with Bandido.)
(3) THE ALLURE (ANGELINA LOVE & MANDY LEON) vs. VITA VONSTARR & A MYSTERY PARTNER
Chelsea Green is on commentary. The Allure come out first. Vita Vonstarr comes out next. The mystery partner is Max the Impaler who comes out next with Amy Rose. The Allure are frightened.
Leon and Vonstarr start. They lock up and Vonstarr gets the advantage. She gets a flipping leg drop for a two count followed by a Northern Lights suplex for a two count. Vonstarr hits a front suplex for another two count. Vonstarr puts her knee in the back of Leon’s spine but Leon breaks out and tags in Love. Love takes advantage and hits a sidewalk slam for a one count. Love tries to yell at Max who yells back. This distraction allows VonStarr to regain the advantage and she hits a fall away slam. Love tags in Leon. Leon gains control and throws VonStarr to the ground for a two count. Leon gets VonStarr in the corner and tags Love back in. Love chokes VonStarr and tags back in Leon. The Allure hit a suplex for a two count. VonStarr recovers and finally tags in Max. Max tosses Leon around. Love gets in and hits Max who no sells. The crowd tells Lov she messed up. Love gets scared and leaves the ring. Max tags VonStarr and goes after Love. Vonstarr rolls up Leon for the win.
WINNER: Vita Vonstarr at 6:39
After the match, Vonstarr attacks Leon. Amy Rose tells Max to get a table. VonStarr chokes Leon while Max sets up the table. Max throws Leon through the table. Love comes back but Vonstarr takes her down.
(Maitland’s Thoughts: This match was primarily a set up for Angelina Love vs Max the Impaler in the quarterfinals of the ROH Women’s Tournament. It is interesting to see the monster heel who has destroyed everyone be a face but perhaps Max is only a face when they wrestle the Allure.)
(4) EC3 vs. BRIAN JOHNSON
Brian Johnson comes out first. He is getting cheered because he is from Philadelphia. He brings out a mock Liberty Bell that says Mecca vs Everybody. He does his own introduction. EC3 comes out next to mostly boos. He pulls down the mock Liberty Bell.
Johnson and EC3 have a stare down. EC3 hits him with a shoulder tackle and gets booed. EC3 maintains control through a head lock. EC# takes Johnson down with another shoulder tackle. EC3 lets Johnson grab a headlock but he breaks out and body slams Johnson. EC3 offers Johnson to go for the headlock again. EC3 blocks a suplex attempt and Johnson hits a shoulder tackle. Johnson goes for some quick roll ups and follows with some chops. EC3 takes Johnson down with a lariat. EC3 puts Johnson in a chin lock. Johnson tries to fight out but he gets thrown to the mat. EC3 repeatedly Irish whips Johnson into the corners. On the third one, EC3 hits a back body drop. Johnson rolls under the ropes and hits EC3. Johnson climbs the rope but EC3 recovers and his him with chops. EC3 grabs Johnson and throws him off the top rope. EC3 yells at Johnson to stay down. Johnson gets up and hits EC3 with a series of moves including a clothesline of the top rope and several elbow drops. He steps over EC3 and hits a fist drop. Johnson goes for the Process but EC3 blocks it. Johnson sends him outside the ring and dives onto EC3. Johnson comes up shaking his hand. Johnson throws EC3 back into the ring and EC3 steps on Johnson’s hand. He suplexes Johnson into the ring and hits an Angle Slam. EC3 stomps on Johnson’s hand again. Johnson tries to fight back through slaps but EC3 grabs his wrist and throws him down with a wrist lock. Johnson hits EC3 with a low blow when the referee isn’t looking. EC3 hits a single arm DDT and a double underhook suplex. EC3 puts Johnson in the Purpose and bangs Johnson’s hand against the mat. Johnson submits. EC3 immediately leaves while the fans applaud Johnson.
WINNER: EC3 at 12:51
(Maitland’s Thoughts: My second favorite match of the show mainly due to crowd emotion. Johnson still cheated so I assume he will remain a heel. EC3 was pretty vicious for someone focused on honor. Johnson has a lot of potential and should be treated as such.)
(5) BATEMAN vs. MARK BRISCOE
Bateman comes out first accompanied by Dutch. Mark Briscoe comes out second. This was supposed to be a tag team match between the Righteous and the Briscoes but someone did not make Covid protocols so it was made into a single match. Since Dutch came out with Bateman and Mark Briscoe came out alone, I assume it was Jay Briscoe. This was later confirmed on commentary.
Bateman and Briscoe lock up but quickly move to trading blows. Briscoe throws Bateman into the corner and hits a clothesline. Briscoe follows up with kicks and a suplex for a two count. Bateman and Briscoe trade chops. Bateman blocks an attempt at the uranage. Briscoe makes contact with Dutch and dives over the top rope onto Dutch who catches him and throws him into the barricade. Bateman hits him with strikes and a knee for a two count. Bateman knocks Briscoe into the corner and Briscoe tries to power out but Bateman counters with body shots. Briscoe recovers and puts Bateman on the top rope. He slams Bateman off for a two count. Bateman and Briscoe decide to exchange strikes again until Briscoe hits the urange. They get up, trade blows and Bateman hits a Saito suplex. Briscoe gets up and catches Bateman with a Spicoli Driver and the Froggy Bow off the top rope for the three count.
WINNER: Mark Briscoe at 6:18
Dutch immediately attacks Briscoe after the bell. Bateman and Dutch double team Briscoe until Mike Bennett makes the save with a chair.
(Maitland’s Thoughts: Quick match that was fine. Jay Briscoe being out probably changed the length and story that would have been told.)
(6) JONATHAN GRESHAM (c) vs RHETT TITUS – ROH Pure Championship Match
Josh Woods is on commentary. He will be wrestling the winner at Death of Dishonor. Gresham and Titus come out together with the other members of the Foundation, Jay Lethal and Tracy Williams.
Code of honor adhered to. Titus and Gresham spend the first 30 second trying to get control but no one gain an advantage. They lock up and Titus gains leverage. Gresham rolls out and twists the hands to gain control. Both wrestlers jostle for position and end up in the ropes. No rope break called. They shake hands. Gresham goes for an abdominal stretch but Titus hip tosses and goes for a short arm scissors. Gresham rolls over twice into pinning attempts but Titus rolls over. Gresham breaks out of the hold, takes Titus down and locks Titus’ ankle while putting pressure on his knee. Titus goes to the ropes and uses his first rope break. Gresham goes for the handshake but Titus slaps his hands, thinking that Gresham left him in the submission too long after he reached the ropes. They lock up and Titus puts Gresham in the corner. Gresham inadvertently hits Titus in the face and they argue. Gresham tries to get control and Gresham uses the top rope for a head lock takedown to maintain control. Titus hits a back suplex but Gresham maintains the head lock. Gresham lays on Titus, getting several two counts. Titus breaks out and power slams Gresham. Titus hits a gut wrench suplex for a two count. Titus puts Gresham in a chin lock than puts his knee on Gresham’s back. Titus tries to suplex Gresham but Gresham blocks it twice. Neither man has an advantage until Gresham grabs a head lock. Titus sends him off but Gresham grabs the head lock again. Titus breaks the hold and Gresham counters a back suplex into a splash and a two count. Gresham goes back to the head lock. Titus hits an atomic drop and a back suplex. Titus goes for the pin but Gresham uses his first rope break. Titus continues to target Gresham’s back. Gresham grabs another headlock but Titus hits a backbreaker. They both try to suplex each other and Titus gains control. They tumble over the top rope onto the floor. Williams and Lethal cheer on their stablemates to break the count. They get in at 17. They trade pinning combinations until Titus takes Gresham down with a shoulder charge. Titus runs the rope and goes for a sunset flip but Gresham rolls through. They trade head scissors and side headlocks until Titus gets a two count with a roll up. Gresham hits Titus with a single leg take down and goes for a pin. They trade near fall reverses and roll around the ring until Gresham uses leverage to stay on Titus for the three count.
WINNER: Gresham at 14:44
Gresham and Titus shake hands after the match. The Foundation leaves and Josh Woods comes out. Woods vs Gresham at Death Before Dishonor is official. Gresham and Woods shake hands. Gresham says the Pure Championship is the real ROH World Championship.
(Maitland’s Thoughts: My favorite match on the show, but I am a sucker for pure matches. More dissension showed between the Foundation, but they all shock hands at the end so it might have been just in match frustration. I am very much looking forward to Jonathan Gresham vs Josh Woods at Death Before Dishonor.)
(7) VLNCE UNLTD vs LA FACCION INGOBERNABLE (LFI)
Shane Taylor joins on commentary. LFI comes our first wearing yellow and black. Vlnce Unltd comes out next. The teams shove before the match starts and play to the crowd.
Homicide and Dragon Lee start and Lee cheap shots Deppen with Homicide gets tagged in. Deppen tags in. Both men try to get an advantage through wrestling and cool moves and when that doesn’t work Lee throws his shirt at Deppen. Deppen wipes his nose with the shirt and throws it back. A brawl breaks out and the match is thrown out.
WINNER: No Contest at 1:50
Rush gets on the match and says no disqualification. A brawl breaks out again. Brody King grabs the mike and says no one came here for a 2 minute match. Brody demands that this become a Philadelphia street fight. The referees agree and the bell rings.
Lee and Deppen go in the ring and trade forearms while everyone else wrestles outside. Lee and Deppen trade slaps and kicks as everyone stops wrestling and watches. Lee and Deppen trade German suplexes no selling them until Deppen hits a clothesline broken up by Rush. Dickinson and Homicide come in and double team Rush. Homicide pulls out a fork which allows Kenny King to come in and kick him. Brody knocks down Kenny but Bestia hits Brody with a chair. Rush chokes Deppen. Dickinson chokes Rush. Kenny and Bestia suplex Brody King onto two chairs. All the LFI members attack Brody with a series of chops. Bestia and Homicide are alone in the ring. Kenny hits Homicide with a trash can lid. LFI isolate Brody in the ring with a ladder but he escapes. Deppen dropkicks the ladder onto Lee and Kenny. Bestia has Homicide in a submission but Deppen hits him with a chair. Homicide puts the ladder on his head and spins around in a circle while the LFI members run into the ladder. Homicide almost attacks Deppen because of his dizziness. Kenny kicks Homicide into the ring. Dickinson puts the trash can on Kenny and kicks him several times. Everyone is in the ring. LFI isolates Dickinson. Lee kicks Dickinson onto two tables on the outside and Kenny splashes Dickinson through the table. LFI isolate Deppen and hit him with several chops. Deppen may have lost a tooth. LFI put Deppen on the top rope. Bestia goes to jump off but Brody recovers and power bombs Bestia through the table. Lee and Brody tangle and Brody throws Lee over the top rope onto Rush, Homicide, and Dickinson. Brody hits Bestia with his finisher, I assume since the camera missed it and got the pin.
WINNER: Vlnce Unltd at 15:30
Shane Taylor attacks Kenny King. LFI attacks Taylor and the rest of Shane Taylor Promotions runs out. Officials break up the fight.
A pre-match video airs for Bandido vs Flip Gordon
(Maitland’s Thoughts: I did not like this match. It would have been better to bill this as a street fight instead of disqualifying everyone and starting over. The running into the ladder spot was ridiculous and the match contained some sloppiness. Not this is a fight so it isn’t pretty sloppiness but we can’t get our planned move right sloppiness. My favorite part was Shane Taylor talking about how Kenny King cheated in his match against Rush in February and attacking King at the end of the match.)
(8) BANDIDO (c) vs FLIP GORDON – Ring of Honor World Championship Match
EC3 joins on commentary. Flip Gordon comes out first Bandido comes out second. Bobby Cruise introduces both wrestlers.
Both wrestlers acknowledge dueling chants. Gordon goes for a quick roll up and gets a two count. Bandido and Gordon try to get wrist control but it ends in a stalemate. Bandido hits a drop toe hold and goes for the surfboard. Bandido breaks the hold and goes for a side head lock. They run the ropes and counter each other’s moves in an impressive fashion including Gordon cartwheeling out of an attempted hurricanrana. Gordon and Bandido grab each other’s legs and Gordon thumbs Bandido int the eye when Bandido expects a clean break. Gordon throws Bandido to the outside and suplexes. Gordon goes for the mask, unsuccessfully, but rolls into the ring to break the count. He throws Bandido into the barricade. Gordon rolls Bandido back into the ring and stomps in his neck. Gordon slaps Bandido and applies a neck vice. He kicks Bandido to the outside. Gordon throws him back in and goes for a two count. Gordon hits a spinning falcon arrow for a two count. Gordon goes outside and throws two chairs into the ring. Gordon grabs a kendo stick but gets distracted and Bandido hits him with two dives to the outside. Back inside Bandido hits a spinning splash for a two count. Bandido hits a crucifix bomb for a two count. Bandido blocks the Flip 5 and they struggle for control until Gordon gets a suplex for a two count. Bandido hits a poisoned rana which knocks out both competitors. They struggle to get to their feet and trade strikes. Gordon throws Bandido into the corner charges with a clothesline and hits a tornado DDT for a two count. Gordon climbs to the top rope but Bandido joins him up there. Gordon hits a kick off the top rope and a torture rack suplex. Gordon applies the STF (Submit to Flip). Bandido fights and gets to the ropes. Gordon hits another Flip 5 but Gordon kicks out. Gordon is beginning to become frustrated. Gordon climbs the rope but this time Bandido gets him and does a flipping slam for a two count. Bandido goes for the 21 Plex but Gordon blocks it. After struggling for an advantage, Bandido hits a standing destroyer. Bandido hits the 21 Plex on the second attempt for the victory. Bandido celebrates in the ring.
WINNER: Bandido at 17:18
His celebration is stopped as EC3 walks to the ring. They stare at each other. Bandido holds up the title. Brody King walks out and says EC3 is not next in line and the line starts behind him. King says if EC3 has something to say he should say it to his face. EC# shoves Brody King and they start brawling. They are separated. Flamita runs in and attacks Bandido. The commentary team mentions that Flamita is the last person to pin Bandido. Flamita kicks Bandido in the corner. Brody King drags Bandido out of the ring.
A promo airs for Matt Taven vs Vincent. The main event of Glory by Honor Night 2.
(Maitland’s Thoughts: This match was alright. I expected more high flying but perhaps they were trying to show they could wrestle a more grounded main event style. I expected Bandido to win so I wasn’t surprised by that. The good thing is ROH has set up a number of different opponents for him, all who have a claim at the next title shot. It wasn’t helpful for the commentators to spend the entire show talking about how Bandido was an underdog or that they wouldn’t be surprised if he lost. This was a decent show, but a full opinion can’t be derived without seeing what happens in Night 2.)
CATCH-UP: 8/16 RING OF HONOR TV REPORT: Ten-man tag main event, Holidead vs. Max the Impaler, more
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