ROH Supercard of Honor Report: Samoa Joe debuts, new champions crowned

Originally published at ROH Supercard of Honor Report: Gresham vs. Bandido, Briscoes vs. FTR

ROH Supercard of Honor

April 1st, 2022

By: John Siino

Curtis Culwell Center in Garland, TX

Commentary: Ian Riccaboni & Caprice Coleman

Zero Hour Pre-Show

We start the show by showing highlights of the history of Ring of Honor, as we go into the build for Jonathan Gresham vs. Bandido to see who is the undisputed Ring of Honor World Champion. The familiar voices of Ian Riccaboni and Caprice Coleman introduce the card for tonight.

Blake Christian vs. Colt Cabana

Colt Cabana embraces Riccaboni and Coleman at the commentary table as he states he’s missed them. The crowd is behind Cabana, but you still hear some ‘All Heart’ chants. Cabana starts light-hearted doing some fun spots and playing with Christian a bit, toying with him, by doing a cartwheel and shaking his and the referee’s hands. Christian gets shoulder tackled down, but pops right back up as now the crowd gets behind Christian a bit more. Christian comes back with a dropkick knocking Cabana into the corner. Cabana traps Christian into a bow and arrow, before going into a surfboard, but Christian quickly gets out of it. Christian hits a big kick and rolls Cabana down, hitting a double stomach knocking Cabana to the outside where Christian misses a Fosbury Flop and then gets knocked off the apron by Cabana, landing face first as Cabana throws up the Dark Order claw. Cabana gives a hard chop to Christian outside before playing to the camera a bit more. They go back down where Cabana lands a straight splash onto Christian for multiple pin attempts and plays around with the referee yet again. Cabana listens to the crowd who keeps chanting for him to toss Christian face first into the turnbuckle, but Christian reverses on the third attempt before running right into a clothesline from Cabana. Cabana picks him up and finally tosses Christian headfirst into the turnbuckle and gets a one-count. They go back and forth a bit before Christian knocks Cabana onto the ropes with a kick, and delivers a springboard kick knocking Cabana to the outside, but Cabana catches him before he can dive outside, landing his punches. Christian knocks Cabana to the outside again and hits the Fosbury Flop but holds onto Cabana, dropping him down to the floor outside. Christian tosses Cabana inside and hits a springboard 450 but only gets a two. Christian goes to the top again, but this time misses as Cabana lands a hard elbow, and goes to the top rope, but Christian stops him as Cabana catches him on his shoulders and drops him right down with the Chicago Skyline for the pin and the win.

Winner: Colt Cabana by pinfall at 8:02

I Am The Foundation

We get a video showing the history of Jonathan Gresham and Bandido with Gresham talking about people thinking that he is not the real ROH World Champion, but he claims he is and that’s why he carries around the original ROH World Championship. And ever since he’s had it, he’s defended it around the world and carried the company on his back. He talks about not attacking a body part of Bandido, but his heart as that’s the strongest part of him as he has a heart like no other. And if Bandido can dethrone Rush, then anything is possible. Gresham says his entire career he’s listened to his voice he calls ‘his destiny’ and by listening to that he stands here as the ROH World Champion and he is the only one that can carry this company to the future. Only he can carry this company because he is The Foundation.

Miranda Alize vs. A.Q.A.

They go for the lock-up right away and into wrist lock exchanges. A.Q.A. takes Alize down with a headlock takeover. They exchange a bit more with A.Q.A. with a couple pin attempts. It should be noted that AEW referee Paul Turner is the official in this match, as he has past ties to Ring of Honor, AEW referee Stephon Smith was the referee in the first match. Alize traps A.Q.A. in the corner and knocks her down with her hair down head first and gets a one-count. Alize grabs A.Q.A.’s hand and starts biting it, keeping her in the corner where she knocks her down with a running forearm followed by a running boot. Alize hits another dropkick and a suplex for a two-count. A.Q.A. comes back with an inside cradle and a dropkick, knocking Alize to the apron. Alize hits a low ‘rana off the ropes, with a bit of an awkward landing for a two count, but A.Q.A. seems to be fine. A.Q.A. fights off a suplex and hits a DDT and gets a two count. They go back and forth on the ropes, but A.Q.A. stops Alize with a dropkick, a pair of ax handles, and a sling blade for a two count. A.Q.A. goes to the top rope, but Alize knocks her back down on the mat by her hair. Alize hits a ripcord cutter and into a crossface, as A.Q.A. rolls it over for a two count. A.Q.A. comes back with a couple of kicks, goes to the top rope, and hits the Shooting Star Press for the pin.

Winner: A.Q.A. by pinfall at 8:17

We go to Denise Salcedo who is backstage with Rhett Titus, Josh Woods, and Jonathan Gresham who are all holding their titles, and make a case for why they will remain champions tonight.

Shinobi Shadow Squad (Cheeseburger & Eli Isom) vs. Gates of Agony (Kaun & Toa Liona) (w/ Tully Blanchard)

Looks like Cheeseburger has dropped his ‘World Famous GB’ name and gone back to his old Cheeseburger moniker. Tully Blanchard comes out with a Tully Blanchard Enterprises graphic and says he’s been through three weeks of hell before he got a phone call from two gentlemen who say they need to be where they used to be and Tully is the man who can bring them there. Tully introduces Kaun and Toa Liona as the Gates of Agony. Kaun and Cheeseburger start the match, as Kaun refuses a handshake and smacks him instead. Toa tags in quickly and take down Burger before Isom comes in and gets slammed down by Toa before Kaun comes in with a senton. Burger makes the tag but Kaun hits him with a pounce knocking him to the outside by Toa. Kaun and Toa double team Isom, as Kaun drops Isom on his knees followed by a spike from Toa as Kaun gets the pin on Isom.

Winners: Gates of Agony (Kaun & Toa Liona) by pinfall at 2:27

Tully Blanchard gets on the mic and says you’ve only seen a glimpse and later tonight you’ll see the third member of Tully Blanchard Enterprises.

We get a promo for Mercedes Martinez vs. Willow Nightingale for the interim ROH Women’s World Championship.

Joe Hendry vs. Dalton Castle

Castle makes his big entrance with his baby chicks by his side. Joe Hendry does not give the Code of Honor handshake at the start. They start slow and go to lock-up as Hendry takes Castle over before knocking Castle down with a couple of shoulder tackles, knocking Castle to the outside where he runs laps around the ring with the baby chicks before sneaking back inside and taking Hendry down. Castle hits a DDT followed by a splash for a two count. Hendry gets out of a gator roll and body slams Castle over the ropes to the outside where he tosses him against the barricade. As Castle goes over the barricade, the baby chicks go to fan him but Hendry scares them away. Hendry sends Castle back inside and hits a clothesline for a two count, followed by a suplex for a one. Hendry stays in control keeping Castle in the corners, before going for a suplex while on the middle rope. Castle fights his way out, hits a running knee, and gets a two-count. Hendry stays in control and puts on a vice grip before Castle fights out of it but misses a running knee in the corner and crashes to the outside where Hendry is there to meet him. Hendry tries to toss Castle inside, but he spins back, hits a hurricanrana and Hendry goes crashing into the ring post. Back inside, Castle hits a pair of suplexes, a running knee in the corner, and a bulldog for a two count. Hendry comes back and slams Castle down for a two-count. Hendry stays on top of Castle, but Castle ducks and hits the Bang-a-Rang for the pin and the win.

Winner: Dalton Castle by pinfall at 9:46

Viva La Raza

Denise Salcedo is backstage with Bandido and his new manager Chavo Guerrero Jr. Chavo says Bandido is the real ROH World Champion as nobody ever beat him for it and Gresham is the interim champion as best. Chavo doesn’t work for AEW or ROH, he works for Bandido and he is here to make sure Bandido wins by any means necessary. Bandido says he wants to win but doesn’t want any cheating from Chavo. Chavo agrees but says he’ll do anything necessary to make sure he wins.

We get introduced to the main portion of the Pay-Per-View and go right into the first match.

Swerve Strickland vs. Alex Zayne

The crowd right away are behind Swerve as Zayne is able to dodge Swerve’s head scissors right away. They run the ropes, with Swerve bouncing off the ropes as the crowd gets really into it. Swerve goes to run the ropes but keeps psyching Zayne out and eventually trips him before getting tripped him, as Zayne hits a senton off the ropes into a twisting splash for a lackadaisical one count. Swerve goes to grab Zayne’s ankle and transitions onto his back, but Zayne sends him in the corner where he meets Swerve on the top rope where Swerve hits a TKO off the top rope dropping Zayne onto the rope and to the outside. Swerve hits a running stomp off the apron and tells the crowd they can chant now. Swerve sends Zayne back inside and hits a flying elbow to the back of Zayne for a two-count. Swerve keeps Zayne down with a chokehold, but Zayne eventually slaps his way out as Caprice Coleman calls it a ‘Will Smith slap’. Zayne knocks Swerve down with a clothesline, before sending him into the corner with a chop but runs into a boot from Swerve. Zayne tosses Swerve to the top rope and hits a running rana followed by a flipping dive to Swerve’s back for a two count. Swerve tries to go for the JML Driver, but Zayne knocks him to the corner, where Swerve hits him with a dropkick and into a modified half crab before pulling on Zayne’s arm as well, but Zayne grabs the rope. They fight on the apron where Zayne hits a ridiculous-looking poison ‘rana off the apron and onto the floor. They take their time going back inside as there’s a 20 count in Ring of Honor, but Zayne hits the Crunchwrap Supreme for a two count. They slowly start exchanging forearms, but Zayne knocks Swerve down with a kick. Zayne tries the Cutthroat Driver, but Swerve headbutts and kicks his way out. Swerve comes back with a suplex, a rolling flatliner, and the Swerve Stomp for a two count. Zayne dodges a kick from Swerve, hits a knee, but Swerve gets out and hits a kick for a two. Swerve comes back with a double stomp to the knee and the JML Driver for the pin and the win.

Winner: Swerve Strickland by pinfall at 11:39

Ninja Mack vs. Brian Cage (w/ Tully Blanchard)

Tully introduces Brian Cage as his newest client to the Tully Blanchard Enterprises as Ninja Mack tries to dive onto him but gets caught and dropped right on the apron. They go in as the match officially starts and Cage knocks Mack right down. Cage tosses Mack into the corner and quickly takes him down with a clothesline. Cage tosses Mack easily to the other side of the ring with a suplex as Tully gets on the apron and gives Cage some advice. Cage goes and does the same release suplex as the crowd is chanting for one more. Cage decides not to and says he only does it two times. Mack spins off the top rope and delivers a couple kicks, but Cage catches the third one and slams Mack down and calls for the Drill Claw, which he hits and gets the pin.

Winner: Brian Cage by pinfall at 2:48

Kaun and Toa Liona of Gates of Agony come out to join Tully and Brian Cage as Tully Blanchard Enterprises stands tall.

Lee Moriarty (w/ Matt Sydal) vs. Jay Lethal

We get a promo before this match, which has an interesting story as Jay Lethal cut a real heartfelt promo before Moriarty left ROH for AEW saying how he would want to face him, and now he is. The crowd is divided between these two, as the match starts quickly with Moriarty trying to knock Lethal to the outside before they go back and forth a bit. We see Sonjay Dutt and Gary Juster sitting in the crowd. Lethal slows down the pace with a side headlock, but Moriarty escapes, hits a couple of drop downs, a leapfrog, and blocks the Lethal Injection as Lethal shows frustration. They get into a shoving match before locking back up. They go into a forearm exchange, before going back and forth with an Irish whip attempt which ends with Moriarty being knocked down and eating a dropkick from Lethal. The pace of this match slows down a bit here with Lethal hitting a backbreaker before working on Moriarty’s knee with a Dragonscrew. Lethal continues working on it, sending Moriarty to the outside and drop kicking him off the apron as he was trying to get back in. As Moriarty gets up, he gets caught with a suicide dive. He hits him with another but Moriarty dodges the third one and hits one of his own but his injured knee is really showing. They get into another forearm exchange as Lethal sneaks in kicks to the back of Moriarty’s injured knee. Moriarty fights back with a hammerlock clothesline and gets a two count. They head to the top rope, but Moriarty knocks Lethal down to the mat and misses, with Lethal going right for the knee and hitting the Lethal Combination. Lethal gets up and hits a flurry of kicks and a cutter, before going to the top rope where he tries the flying elbow, but Moriarty catches him in a pin attempt but Lethal kicks out. They go back and forth with a flurry of multiple pin attempts, but as the referee goes to fix the ring skirt in this confusion, Lethal hits a low blow on Moriarty as the crowd rains down with boos and Caprice Coleman screams he’s never seen such an act of desperation from Lethal. Lethal slowly gets up and hits Lethal Injection for the dirty win.

Winner: Jay Lethal by pinfall at 14:52

We cut to Lethal’s long-time friend Sonjay Dutt in the audience who was shaking his head in disgust. Matt Sydal, who is on crutches, comes inside to talk to Lethal, but Lethal kicks his leg knocking him down. Officials and Sonjay Dutt all run inside to break this apart before Dutt yells at Lethal all the way to the back.

Interim ROH Women’s World Championship: Willow Nightingale vs. Mercedes Martinez

This interim championship comes after the fact that the current ROH Women’s World Champion Deonna Purrazzo is unable to compete tonight (she will be wrestling later tonight at IMPACT Wrestling Multiverse of Matches). They take the match right to the mat, as Willow puts on head scissors, but Mercedes smacks her way out. Willow comes back with a shoulder tackle for a one-count, followed by a slam and a senton for a two-count. Mercedes hits a trio of butterfly suplexes with the third one being countered and turned into a submission as Mercedes grabs the ropes. Mercedes holds Willow down with punches to the chest and into a Dragon Sleeper as the crowd rallies behind Willow. Mercedes turns it into body scissors, as Willow reverses out and hits two clotheslines, with the third one being reversed into knees to the far followed by another running knee for a two count. They go back and forth for a bit with Willow knocking Mercedes down with a thrust kick. Mercedes hits a forearm, but Willow bounces off the ropes and hits a clothesline as they both come crashing down to the mat. Mercedes knocks Willow down with a Saito Suplex followed by an Air Raid Crash but Willow kicks out on a very close two. Mercedes starts dropping elbows down, but Willow grabs her and hits an Angle Slam for a two. Mercedes runs the ropes but Willow stops her with a pounce, sends her into the corner where she hits a cannonball but only gets a two count as Mercedes grabs the bottom rope. Willow goes to the top rope, but Mercedes grabs her and hits the OG Drop but only gets a two count. Mercedes keeps Willow in the corner and places her right back to the top rope again where she joins her and continues to rain down punches to the back. Mercedes tries to drop her down, but Willow holds on and knocks Mercedes into a Tree of Woe where Willow hits her with a hip splash. Willow goes to the top rope and hits a moonsault but only gets a two count. Willow goes for a gut wrench suplex, but Mercedes reverses out and puts on the Brass City Sleeper as Mercedes taps out.

Winner: Mercedes Martinez by submission at 12:38, to become the NEW Interim ROH Women’s World Champion

ROH World Tag Team Championship: The Briscoes (Jay Briscoe & Mark Briscoe) (c) vs. FTR (Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler)

The crowd starts a ‘holy shit’ chant before the bell rings. FTR has their initials in the old ROH font on their tights as they refuse to shake hands to start the match. The crowd is ecstatic as the bell rings with Cash Wheeler and Mark Briscoe starting the match. Wheeler and Mark go back and forth with Wheeler getting the upper hand, pushing Mark into the corners, but Mark thrusts his way out and knocks Wheeler to the mat with a front face lock. Jay tags in as Wheeler escapes out into his corner. The crowd chants ‘tag team wrestling’ as Wheeler tags out to Harwood. Jay and Harwood go face to face before circling the ring. Jay takes Harwood down and holds him down, but Harwood headstands his way out, and spits in Jay’s face before escaping to the outside as he starts getting booed. Back inside they go back and forth ending with Jay sending Harwood back outside with a clothesline over the top rope. Harwood tries to get back inside but Jay knocks him right off the apron a couple of times. Harwood gets frustrated and throws a chair inside the ring, but Paul Turner catches it and tosses it back outside. Nice catch. Wheeler and Jay now go at it and trade a couple of elbows, before Mark tags in. Mark keeps Wheeler in the corners with chops before hitting a vertical suplex. FTR keeps Mark in their corner and rains down punches to him before Harwood tags in. They start trading chops before Harwood closes his fist and hits a right hand, tagging Wheeler in. Jay tags in as the Briscoes now take control and keep Wheeler in their corner with more chops. FTR ends up on the outside where Jay hits them with a cannonball dive as the crowd really gets into it. Mark follows that with a Cactus Jack-style elbow off the apron. All four start brawling on the outside now as the crowd is divided. FTR takes Jay under the ring bell table and slingshot him up and into it. As Harwood tosses Jay back inside, we see Jay’s forehead is busted open. Harwood places Jay on the top rope, but Harwood gets knocked down. Harwood quickly gets up and joins him up there again, where he hits a superplex. Wheeler tags in and hits a low dropkick on Jay before targeting the open forehead of Jay. Jay starts to fight his way out and makes the hot tag to Mark. Mark comes in and uses his kung fu skills on FTR, before knocking Wheeler to the outside and hitting Harwood with a Uranage. All four have a bit of a back and forth before the Briscoes hit Redneck Boogie on Wheeler, as Mark gets a two count.

The Briscoes put Wheeler on the top rope, but Wheeler pushes Mark off as FTR hits a powerbomb and Frog Splash combo on Harwood for a two. We now see that Harwood is busted open as well. Mark is able to prevent the Big Rig and The Briscoes end up hitting the Big Rig themselves and get a two count on Harwood. Wheeler hits a Tornado DDT to Mark off the apron before Jay hits Wheeler with the Spicolli Driver on the outside as well. Harwood and Jay start fighting on the apron ending with Harwood suplexing Jay right down to the outside, crashing down. Doc Samson comes out to check on Harwood, but he says he can still go and wants to finish this match. All four men slowly start rolling back inside, with Wheeler helping Harwood in to break the count. All four men get back on their feet as the crowd erupts at this face-off and they all start trading forearms. Wheeler ends up crashing to the outside where Mark Briscoe meets him with a corkscrew dive. Jay and Harwood both stand, both bleeding, and slowly get into each other’s face and start trading forearms. They end on their knees but continue trading forearms. Jay takes Harwood down with a neckbreaker, as Mark comes in and hits the Froggy Bow, but Jay only can get a two-count. Jay puts Harwood up on his shoulders, but Wheeler breaks it up as they hit the Big Rig on Jay, and Harwood gets the pin and the win. This match was absolutely fantastic.

Winners: FTR (Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler) by pinfall at 27:24, to become the NEW ROH World Tag Team Champions

FTR are handed the ROH World Tag Team titles with the old logo on them (which they point out is matching their tights). FTR placed the titles on the mat and bowed down to The Briscoes before shaking their hands and hugging it out. FTR leaves with the AAA and ROH tag titles and leaves the ring to the Briscoes. As the Briscoes are getting a ‘Thank You Briscoes’ chant, the Young Bucks run in out of nowhere and take out The Briscoes with the BTE Trigger. They set up for the Meltzer Driver, but FTR runs back out to scare the Young Bucks and Brandon Cutler to the back.

 

The Young Bucks in ROH

FTR are handed the ROH World Tag Team titles with the old logo on them (which they point out is matching their tights). FTR placed the titles on the mat and bowed down to The Briscoes before shaking their hands and hugging it out. FTR leaves with the AAA and ROH tag titles and leaves the ring to the Briscoes. As the Briscoes are getting a ‘Thank You Briscoes’ chant, the Young Bucks run in out of nowhere and take out The Briscoes with the BTE Trigger. They set up for the Meltzer Driver, but FTR runs back out to scare the Young Bucks and Brandon Cutler to the back. FTR grabs the mic as Dax Harwood thanks God for being able to have their ROH debut in Dallas, Texas and not only did they beat the best tag team of all time but since Young Bucks are dressed to wrestle how about they have one more match. Nick and Matt ask if that’s what the people want and it sounds perfect, before pausing and saying for Wednesday night. Matt Jackson says it’s been a while, as they are the guys who quit this company a couple of years ago, started a new company, and then bought ROH. So if you want to see the Young Bucks wrestle, tune into TBS on Wednesday where you get to see the Young Bucks vs. FTR and end it with ‘See you in Boston, pricks’. The crowd chants ‘Fuck you, Young Bucks’ as Harwood responds saying that the match sounds good but it won’t be a gymnastic routine and they will beat their ass.

ROH World Television Championship: Rhett Titus (c) vs. Minoru Suzuki

Suzuki kicks Titus’ hand before the bell, and Titus smacks him as a result, just to get a smack of his own. Titus goes right for the single-leg Crab, but Suzuki reaches the ropes. They fight on the apron where Suzuki puts on an armbar on the ropes, before grabbing Titus and bringing him to the outside where Suzuki tosses him against the barricade. Back inside, Suzuki puts on a front face lock and into a Fujiwara armbar, but Titus is right next to the ropes and breaks it up. The crowd starts chanting ‘Murder Grandpa’, as Suzuki keeps Titus down in a chokehold. Titus hits a series of forearms to Suzuki’s back followed by a belly-to-belly suplex and hits a pump kick followed by another in the corner and a back suplex for a two count. They go back and forth and Titus hits his signature dropkick but only gets a two. Titus hits a couple of forearms, but Suzuki quickly hits the Gotch style piledriver and gets the pin and the quick victory.

Winner: Minoru Suzuki by pinfall at 5:54, to become the NEW ROH World Television Champion

ROH Pure Championship: Josh Woods (c) vs. Wheeler Yuta

The three judges sitting ringside for this match are BJ Whitmer, Christopher Daniels, and Colt Cabana in case they need to go to the judge’s decision for this Pure Rules match. Right away Yuta rushes Woods as they trade quick pin attempts. Woods puts on a leg lock as Yuta goes and grabs the rope for his first rope break. They take it to the mat where Yuta is trying to trap Woods down with a body lock. They continue to tussle on the mat and trade pin attempts back and forth before going right back to the mat. They twist and turn each other for a bit as Woods tries to work on Yuta’s legs before tossing Yuta over into a wristlock, but Yuta puts his foot on the rope to use his second rope break. Woods puts his hand out to help Yuta up, but Yuta gets up and slaps him, sends him down with a dropkick, and starts grape vining Woods while dropping fists, before bridging back over, which causes Woods to go and use his first rope break. Yuta tries to go to the top rope but Woods knocks him down and starts working on the left arm of Yuta. Woods keeps driving his shoulder into Yuta, but Yuta forearms his way out as Woods trades back with him before knocking him straight down with a big open hand smack for a two count. They start fighting on the ropes, but Yuta gets out and hits a DDT. Yuta ducks a clothesline, hits an Enziguri, splash in the corner and a flying forearm sends Woods to the outside where he hits him with a suicide dive. Back inside, Yuta dives off the top rope but Woods meets him with a knee strike for a two count. Woods catches Yuta on the ropes and hits a German Suplex, tries a TKO, but Yuta escapes out and hits a German Suplex but holds on to the waist. Woods hits a Spiral Suplex dropping Yuta right into the corner and goes for the pin, but Yuta uses his third and final rope break. Woods goes for a piledriver, but Yuta escapes out, lands elbow strikes, and twists him upright into the Seatbelt pin for the win.

Winner: Wheeler Yuta by pinfall at 12:48, to become NEW ROH Pure Champion

Woods shakes Yuta’s hand and puts the Pure Championship around Yuta’s waist.

Ian Riccaboni runs down the matches for this upcoming episode of AEW Dynamite;

  • The Owen Hart Foundation Tournament continues
  • Christian Cage vs. Adam Cole
  • Tables Match: The Hardys vs. The Butcher & The Blade
  • AAA World Tag Team Championship/ROH World Tag Team Championship: FTR (c) vs. The Young Bucks


Yeah I don’t think Mania is going to be better than this, what a show!

This show was awesome. This show was PPV quality. That tag match rivals anything FTR did up til this point and Briscoes best wrestling match I’ve ever seen them have. Joe returning was a real moment. ROH has immediately vaulted to #3 promotion in North America by way of interest in my mind. Comparing that show with GCW was night and day. If ROH wants to run shows of that caliber once a month I’ll buy it.

As a huge BTE fan seeing FTR in ROH was amazing. Seeing FTR and the Bucks in a segment, awesome!!

So far I’ve seen Bloodsport 8, The Mark Hitchcock Memorial Super Show, and then this last night. Supercard of Honor was my favorite of the shows I’ve seen this weekend, with The Briscoes vs. FTR being a contender for Match of the Weekend, if not the year. Just great all around, and then SAMOA F’N JOE RETURNED.

Shortly after the show I saw the announcement that Joe is All Elite… as is Wheeler Yuta finally!

2 Likes

I just find it really hard to even compare an awesome show like this to Mania. They’re not even the same category to me.

This was wrestling - surprises, hard hitting, big bumps, commentators who called the action and a hot crowd. That FTR/Briscoes match was flat out incredible and worth the price of the show.

Meanwhile at mania you have a bunch of celebrities fighting, Steve Austin doing an interview and some title matches. I just don’t see how anyone who actually likes wrestling would enjoy that show over ROH

I guess I’m confused by this. Wheeler Yuta has been a regular on Dynamite/Rampage for months. Did he not have an AEW contract before? How was that possible.

Same here. He’s been there for months then when he wins an ROH title he’s suddenly “All Elite”? Ok then.

It’s weird. AEW has a number of people that aren’t on the roster page, but still get featured on TV semi-regularly, presumably because they’re on smaller tier deals (maybe paid per date?). Yuta is the latest one to get the All Elite graphic and presumably the full-time deal after achieving something big. He’s far from the first, following in the footsteps of the likes of Lee Johnson, Brock Anderson, Leyla Hirsch (who was apparently signed after her first or second appearance, but wasn’t announced as signed until months later), Fuego Del Sol, and Hook.