For a promotion that does not get as much recognition as WWE or AEW, Ring of Honor (ROH) has some of the best wrestling in the business. This past weekend, the brand put on a phenomenal pay-per-view event, “ROH Death Before Dishonor,” with banger after banger match. And main eventing that event were the standouts of this entire week of wrestling, Athena and Willow Nightingale.
Even with the big hype surrounding ROH’s star-studded event, WWE and AEW also had some great matches over the past week. The ongoing stories between Blackpool Combat Club and The Elite for AEW and The Bloodline falling apart for WWE are also always great to tune into.
Here are the top pro wrestling matches from the past week:
Matt Riddle vs. Gunther (WWE Monday Night Raw, July 17)
Gunther started off this match by hitting Matt Riddle with chops heard around the world and effectively giving Riddle red marks across his chest. For a heavyweight, Gunther still has some technical tenacity with his matches that make them all worth a watch. Riddle gained a bit of momentum with some submission holds, one of which got Gunther out of the ring and led to Riddle delivering a soccer kick. But, Gunther turned that around on Riddle right after and slammed him down on the floor outside of the ring. Riddle’s will to not give up was admirable in this match, considering how much damage he took, but in the end, Riddle’s small bursts of offense weren’t enough to defeat Gunther.
Athena vs. Willow Nightingale (ROH Death Before Dishonor, July 21)
Competing for the ROH Women’s World Championship, Athena and Willow Nightingale put on a spectacle in this match. Athena’s striking power is unmatched, but she also has speed and high-flying moves added to her arsenal that makes her a big threat. The number of kicks she hit Nightingale with would be enough to knock out an everyday competitor. Thankfully for Nightingale, she’s not an everyday competitor; she’s a champion in her own right and a true powerhouse. Eventually, though, Athena’s submission hold had Nightingale fading, and the referee was forced to call the match in Athena’s favor.
Blood & Guts Steel Cage Match: Blackpool Combat Club (Jon Moxley, Wheeler Yuta, Claudio Castagnoli), Konosuke Takeshita + PAC vs. The Golden Elite (Kenny Omega, Kota Ibushi, Hangman Adam Page, Nick & Matt Jackson) (AEW Dynamite, July 19)
Imagine a steel cage, no rules and five versus five … absolute carnage. This match lived up to the name “blood and guts” without a doubt. From Jon Moxley driving a screwdriver into the heads of several Golden Elite members to various competitors getting thrown into a bed of nails, thumbtacks, broken glass, tables, and even suplexed on top of the steel cage. Aside from the extra theatrics, the pure wrestling was also in play, especially by the Jackson brothers and Kenny Omega. At some point in the match, it became three on five as both Konosuke Takeshita and PAC walked out on Blackpool Combat Club. That led to the Elite picking apart their remaining competitors and inevitably pulling off the victory by making Wheeler Yuta pass out due to having a metal chain wrapped around his neck. I’d also like to note that though PAC and Claudio Castagnoli were fighting together for this match, they had an incredible bout against each other soon after at ROH Death Before Dishonor for the ROH World Championship.
“Sports Entertainment Solidified” is a pro wrestling column by Maddy Myer that runs every Monday.