#rachael ellering | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

wrestlingisfake · 5 months

Text

ROH Fake Rankings, 12/2/2023

Men's singles division - babyfaces

Eddie Kingston (ROH men's world champion, STRONG men's champion)

Dalton Castle

El Hijo del Vikingo (AAA mega champion)

Komander (AAA cruiserweight champion)

Ethan Page

Lee Johnson

Gravity

Trent Beretta

Metalik

Willie Mack

Men's singles division - heels

Wheeler Yuta (ROH pure champion)

Brian Cage (ROH trios champion)

Kyle Fletcher

Tony Nese

Josh Woods

Evil Uno

Nick Comoroto

Unranked: Fred Rosser, Gringo Loco, Jack Cartwheel, Slim J, SK Bishop

After Tony Khan launched AEW in 2019, ROH went through a bit of a dark age until Khan acquired the promotion in 2022. Few names from that era remain on the roster--Castle, Yuta, and Woods are the most prominent on the weekly TV series right now.

We're two weeks away from ROH's next pay-per-view, Final Battle, and the men's side only has one match announced--a six-way for the television title, which Samoa Joe abandoned. Joe is putting his focus on chasing the AEW men's world champion MJF, who has been one of the ROH tag team champions for three months and has yet to appear on an ROH show. As for the six-way, only Castle and Komander have been confirmed as participants thus far.

I assume there won't be a men's world title match on the PPV, since Kingston is busy with AEW's Continental Classic tournament. Similarly the pure title has seen more action in AEW than ROH. Brian Cage and the trios title are effectively on ice until his tag partners return from New Japan's World Tag League.

I have no doubt Final Battle will end up being a good show. But with ROH in the state it's in, the quality of the show will largely depend on how many big names from AEW (or perhaps New Japan) will come in for exactly one night, tear the house down, and then not stick around. That approach isn't going to convince people to pay $10/month for the weekly TV.

Men's tag team division - babyfaces

Darius Martin & Action Andretti

Dralistico & Preston Vance

Iron Savages - Boulder & Bronson

Shawn Dean & Carlie Bravo

Christopher Daniels & Matt Sydal

The Outrunners - Truth Magnum & Turbo Floyd

Colt Cabana & Brandon Cutler

The Boys - Brandon Tate & Brent Tate

The Bollywood Boyz - Gurv Shira & Harv Shira

Men's tag team division - heels

Gates of Agony - Bishop Kaun & Toa Liona (ROH trios champions)

The Righteous - Vincent Marseglia & Bobby Dutch

The Butcher & The Blade

Shane Taylor Promotions - Shane Taylor & Lee Moriarty

The Workhorsemen - Anthony Henry & JD Drake

Cole Karter & Griff Garrison

Spanish Announce Project - Serpentico & Angelico

The Wingmen - Ryan Nemeth & Peter Avalon

The West Coast Wrecking Crew - Jorel Nelson & Royce Isaacs

Unranked: Jacoby Watts & Sebastian Wolfe, Trevor Outlaw & GPA

On paper this looks like a stacked tag team division. However, most of the teams listed are booked like jobbers when they appear on AEW teleivison, and get booked 50/50 in ROH matches. I think the Iron Savages, the Infantry (Dean/Bravo and Trish Adora), and the Outrunners have a ton of potential, but I can't fool myself into thinking they're being pushed right now. Andretti/Martin and the Righteous are presented like big deals, but their win-loss records don't reflect that--hell, the Righteous couldn't even beat MJF two-on-one.

The main exception is Kaun and Liona, who are booked like monsters. But there's no sense of that leading to them challenging for the ROH tag title. The main idea is that they're part of a monster trio with Brian Cage. But after a year at the top of the trios division, they've destroyed every possible trio combination on this roster, and it feels like only an AEW superteam could topple them.

Women's division - babyfaces

Willow Nightingale

Billie Starkz

Leyla Hirsch

Rachael Ellering

Kiera Hogan

Trish Adora

Women's division - heels

Athena (ROH women's world champion)

Marina Shafir

Nyla Rose

Mercedes Martinez

Diamante

Emi Sakura

Robyn Renegade

Charlette Renegade

Unranked: Amira, Brooke Havok, Heather Reckless, Heidi Howitzer, Johnnie Robbie, Kel, Ronda Rousey, Zoey Lynn

The biggest storyline in ROH lately has been Athena training Starkz to be her "minion," and feuding with Shafir, until Starkz flipped out on both Shafir and Athena, and challenged Athena for the title at Final Battle. At this point I'm not sure which of the three are supposed to end up being babyfaces or heels, but the story's still in progress.

They're also doing a thing with Hirsch trying to decide whether Ellering or Maria Kanellis truly has her back. So good for ROH for actually having multiple women's storylines, although I wish the second one wasn't the same passive-agressive "are you really my friend?" stuff we see all the time in women's wrestling.

The Renegades have gotten involved with both of these storylines, in tag matches against Athena/Starkz and Ellering/Hirsch. That's a good idea to keep things interesting. Unfortunately the Renegades have the same problem the Bella Twins had in WWE--their whole deal is being a cohesive duo, but the promotion doesn't have a women's tag team title for them to dominate.

OK, this next part is where I list wrestlers who are on the roster but haven't had a match in over a month. Thing is, ROH doesn't really have an official roster. So this is just a selection of wrestlers who are either on AEW's official roster or free agents that seem to be ROH regulars.

No televised ROH matches in 30 days: Allysin Kay, Blake Christian (GCW world champion), Kip Sabian, Lady Frost, Marti Belle, QT Marshall, Rocky Romero (CMLL historic welterweight champion), Scorpio Sky, Skye Blue

No televised ROH matches in 60 days: Angelina Love, AR Fox, Claudio Castagnoli, Chuck Taylor, Jimmy Jacobs, Leila Grey, Nick Wayne, Silas Young

Last televised ROH match between June 1 and August 31: Alex Reynolds, Big Bill (AEW tag team champion), Cheeseburger, Daniel Garcia, Eli Isom, Jacked Jameson, John Silver, Leon Ruffin, Madison Rayne, Mark Briscoe, Matt Taven, Mike Bennett, Miranda Alize, Penta El Zero Miedo, Rey Fenix, Rhett Titus, Samoa Joe, Stokely Hathaway, Stu Grayson, Tracy Williams

Looking at all these names, you can see talent that will probably be back before long, and others who have clearly moved on. I really doubt Castagnoli and Samoa Joe will be back. The Kingdom (Taven and Bennett) feel integral to 2020s ROH, but their AEW act with Roderick Strong is so hot right now that it'd be silly to move them back here. In other cases (for example, Isom, Cheeseburger, Williams, Titus) I never know if they're just on a hiatus or if Tony Khan has just decided to stop booking them altogether.

I would guess about half of these names will return to ROH now and then over the next six months. But "will return" could mean "will appear weekly leading to a PPV match" or just "will do one match and then nothing for another six months."

Inactive

Bandido (left wrist - triangular fibrocartilage complex tear)

Katsuyori Shibata (leave of absence)

There's no way to know if either of these guys will be ROH regulars when they return, but they were when we last saw them. By the same token, Dante Martin (who was injured on an ROH show months ago and has just made his return) could be headed back here or maybe he won't.

Conspicuous by their absence on this list are the ROH tag team champions, since Adam Cole hasn't wrestled under the ROH brand since 2017, and MJF never has. I thought it was possible they'd at least show up for Final Battle, but there's no timetable for Cole's return from an ankle injury. MJF could show up to defend the tag belts solo, or with a substitute partner. But considering he's working through a torn labrum, and trying to make it to the December 30 show, Final Battle is probably a low priority for his schedule.

#ring of honor #roh #fake rankings

1 note · View note

wewerecore · 1 year

Text

CORE Pro #113 Thanksgiving Tussle '22 11/24/22 Kingston Armory - Kingston, Pennsylvania Attendance: 1,902

- The show opened with an announcement at ringside by new CORE head of longterm creative John Williams. John explained that on Christmas Day, CORE would be celebrating their traditional Pro-Wrestling Yankee Swap. John Williams told the crowd the rules are "really quite simple." The survivors of the final two matches on tonight's card will have their names placed in gift boxes, depending on the number of survivors there will be between three and five Yankee Swap matches on the Christmas Day live event in Bethlehem. Three outside wrestlers have been retained on an "at large" basis if needed depending on the number of survivors. For example, if there are three survivors there will be three "at large" entrants to make a total of three matches. If there are four survivors there will be only two "at large" entrants to make three matches. And so on up to ten survivors with no "at large" entrants to make five matches. The Yankee Swap will take place immediately after the main event of tonight's card.

Match #1 5-on-5 Strive To Survive

The Trustbusters (Ari Daivari, Parker Boudreaux, Slim J, Sonny Kiss, and DJ Karl Fredericks) vs. Puerquiza Extrema (Pig Decapitador, Pig Destroyer, Pig Desenterrador, Pig Destructor, and Pig Pool) - Parker Boudreaux put his power on display when he planted the massive Pig Pool with a chokeslam and the pin. Pig Pool has been eliminated. - DJ Karl Fredericks went for his implant DDT on Pig Decapitador, but Decapitador drove DJ Karl into the corner. Decapitador seated Karl on the top rope and hit the Spanish Fly followed by a pinfall. DJ Karl Fredericks has been eliminated. - Boudreaux and Pig Desenterrador traded shoulder blocks, neither man able to knock down the other. Boudreaux connected with a jumping shoulder block and Desenterrador staggered into a superkick to the back of the head from Ari Daivari who then made the cover. Pig Desenterrador has been eliminated. - Pig Destructor went for the Canadian Destroyer on Sonny Kiss, but Slim J made the save with a springboard dropkick. Sonny Kiss made the cover after a standing moonsault. Pig Destructor has been eliminated. - Slim J went for his diving DDT on Pig Destroyer, but Destroyer caught Slim J and slammed him to the mat with a belly to belly suplex. Pig Destroyer climbed to the top and landed with the big splash to get the elimination. Slim J has been eliminated. - Pig Decapitador tried for the Canadian Destroyer on Parker Boudreaux, but Boudreaux hoisted Decapitador up and countered with a sit out waterwheel slam. Pig Decapitador has been eliminated. - Pig Destroyer fought valiantly against his three opponents, but a superkick from Sonny Kiss followed by a backdrop into a chokeslam from Parker Boudreaux set Destroyer up to be finished off with a top rope splash from Ari Daivari. Pig Destroyer has been eliminated. Survivors: Ari Daivari, Parker Boudreaux, and Sonny Kiss

Match #2 10-on-10 Tag Team Strive To Survive

Athena and Raychell Rose, Billie Starkz and Kenzie Paige, Las Tóxicas (Lady Flammer and Lady Maravilla), The Coven (Chelsea Durden and Kelsey Raegan), & Masha Slamovich and Janai Kai vs. VXT (Chelsea Green and Deonna Purrazzo), Queen Aminata and Skye Blue, Miami Sweet Heat (Laurie Carlson and Lindsey Carlson), Bougie Reality (Madi Wrenkowski and Rache Chanel), & Jordynne Grace and Rachael Ellering - Miami Sweet Heat went for their high/low leg sweep/clothesline tag team finisher on Kenzie Paige, but Kenzie caught Lindsay Carlson’s arm and countered with a crucifix pin. Miami Sweet Heat have been eliminated. - Tandem offense from VXT as Chelsea Green and Deonna Purrazzo hit the Due Collector on Chelsea Durden followed by a cover from Deonna. The Coven have been eliminated. - Lady Flammer connected with the double underhook facebuster on Rache Chanel to put her side up four teams to three. Bougie Reality have been eliminated. - Lady Maravilla tried to match strength with Jordynne Grace and attempted a German suplex, but Jordynne fought out with back elbows and spiked Maravilla with the Grace Driver. Las Tóxicas have been eliminated. - VXT went for the Due Collector on Masha Slamovich, but Janai Kai took Deonna out with a high kick and Masha hit the Snow Plow on Chelsea Green and made the cover. VXT have been eliminated. - Billie Starkz hooked Queen Aminata for a fisherman’s suplex, but Aminata freed her leg and countered with a running Air Raid Crash and got the three count. Billie Starkz and Kenzie Paige have been eliminated. - Starkz and Kenzie Paige were furious after their elimination and attacked Queen Aminata. Skye Blue was first in to help her partner, but was double teamed by Starkz and Kenzie. Jordynne Grace and Rachael Ellering tried to come to their aid but were held off and outnumbered by Athena, Raychell Rose, Masha Slamovich, and Janai Kai. CORE officials finally got Starkz and Kenzie out of the ring, and Athena shamelessly took full advantage of the opportunity when she covered Skye Blue and eliminated her team. Skye Blue and Queen Aminata have been eliminated. - Jordynne Grace and Rachael Ellering strived to survive with frequent tags, but they were outmatched and Ellering soon found herself isolated. A spear from Raychell Rose into a lungblower from Athena was the beginning of the end, as Athena then locked the crossface on Ellering who was made to tap out. Jordynne Grace and Rachael Ellering have been eliminated. Survivors: Athena and Raychell Rose & Masha Slamovich and Janai Kai

Match #3 5-on-5 Strive To Survive

Ricky Morton, PCO, Rob Van Dam, Dustin Rhodes, and Christopher Daniels vs. Kerry Morton, Nick Wayne, Starboy Charlie, Marcus Mathers, and Brogan Finlay - Christopher Daniels went for the Best Moonsault Ever on Starboy Charlie, but Nick Wayne followed him up and countered with a release dragon suplex off the top rope. Starboy Charlie made the cover to give his team the early advantage. Christopher Daniels has been eliminated. - Dustin Rhodes went for the running bulldog headlock on Kerry Morton, but Kerry pushed Dustin toward Morton’s corner where Rhodes was met with step up kicks to the face. Kerry Morton rolled Rhodes up with a handful of pleather. Dustin Rhodes has been eliminated. - Ricky Morton tagged in to the match and at every opportunity the opposing team would take Ricky to his own corner so he could tag out. Their strategy appeared to be leaving Ricky Morton until last so it could be five on one. There was a slight wrinkle to that plan when PCO tagged in and Brogan Finlay overestimated his power when he charged at PCO with a lariat. PCO shrugged off the blow and chokeslammed Finlay before pinning him. Brogan Finlay has been eliminated. - Starboy Charlie went for the reverse rana on PCO, but PCO held on, lifted Charlie back on his shoulders, and planted Starboy with an electric chair drop. PCO climbed to the top and hit the moonsault press on Starboy to even things up at 3 vs. 3. Starboy Charlie has been eliminated.

- With the tide beginning to turn, Billie Starkz ran to ringside and attempted to pass a chain to Kerry Morton but was intercepted by referee Melissa Stripes. However on the opposite side of the ring Kenzie Paige had made her way through the crowd and passed two chains to Nick Wayne and Marcus Mathers. Mathers and Wayne double teamed PCO with the chains until RVD and Ricky Morton made the save. This unfortunately left PCO open to be covered by Kerry Morton. PCO has been eliminated. - Marcus Mathers went for the 450 Splash on Rob Van Dam, but RVD got the knees up. RVD hit the Five Star Frogsplash to make this two vs. two. Marcus Mathers has been eliminated. - With the help of their chains from earlier, Nick Wayne and Kerry Morton had gotten the better of RVD and isolated him in their corner. But RVD broke free and made the rolling hot tag to Ricky Morton…only to have his opponents bail to the outside. When Wayne and Kerry got an advantage on Ricky Morton, rather than isolate him they again tossed him toward his own corner so he’d tag out and they could save Ricky for last. RVD connected with a big diving kick to Kerry Morton but turned around right into a springboard cutter from Nick Wayne. Rob Van Dam has been eliminated. - Kerry Morton and Nick Wayne pummeled Ricky Morton; they showed little interest in ending the match and instead inflicted as much punishment as possible. Kerry Morton lifted his bloodied father up into position for a piledriver as Nick Wayne climbed to the top rope to spike Ricky Morton. But Ricky Morton slipped free and back body dropped his son into the corner which caused Nick Wayne to get crotched on the top turn buckle. Nick Wayne crumbled to the mat and Ricky Morton covered him for the three count. Nick Wayne has been eliminated. - His son charged at him with a clothesline, but Ricky ducked under and countered with a backslide. Kerry got his shoulder up and this would be the last offense Ricky Morton could mount. Kerry Morton applied the sleeper hold to his bloody and battered father, who quickly faded. The crowd rallied behind Ricky Morton, who began to show some signs of life. So Kerry Morton transitioned to a rear naked choke and choked his father unconscious in the middle of the ring. Kerry refused to let go of the choke, his teammates held CORE officials off as Ricky Morton began to turn blue. Finally the locker room emptied and Kerry Morton relinquished the choke and left the ringside area with his stablemates. Ricky Morton has been eliminated. Sole Survivor: Kerry Morton

- As Ricky Morton was tended to Pennsylvania State Athletic Commission physician Dr. Frank Romascavage, “Wrestling Goddess” Athena was filmed by the merch tables as she complimented “Queen” Raychell Rose on the job she has done serving under her since April. Raychell seemed to bristle slightly at this characterization, but Athena said that she decided to reward Rose by finding a new queen to take over some of Raychell’s duties. Athena said that earlier tonight, this person scored one of the biggest wins of her career only to have her partner immediately squander it by getting pinned. Athena brought over Queen Aminata and a new alliance was apparently formed.

Match #4 5-on-5 Strive To Survive

The Last Wave (Josh Alexander, Titus Alexander, Mr. Takeshita) & Ethan Page and "Speedball" Mike Bailey vs. Mysterious Q, FOR, JJ, White Rabbit, and Naptown Dragon - JJ tried for the top rope falcon arrow on Mr. Takeshita, but Takeshita pushed JJ off and connected with a flying Baba chop to the top of JJ’s head. JJ got back to his feet and was met with a jumping knee strike from Mr. Takeshita and pinned. JJ has been eliminated. - Ethan Page tried for the Twist Of Fate on Mysterious Q, but Q blocked it and lifted Page up into torture rack position before spinning Ethan Page out into a powerbomb for the move he now calls The Q Drop. Ethan Page has been eliminated. - White Rabbit tried for a Saito suplex on Titus Alexander, but Alexander landed on his feet. White Rabbit turned around into a Michinoku Driver from Titus and was pinned. White Rabbit has been eliminated. - “Speedball” Mike Bailey had Mysterious Q in position for his shooting star knee drop, but FOR yanked on Bailey’s leg and crotched him on the top turnbuckle. Q got back to his feet and connected with a cutter off the top rope and evened things up at 3 vs. 3. "Speedball" Mike Bailey has been eliminated. - The Naptown Dragon went for the Kudo Driver on Josh Alexander, but Alexander countered into the Tomikaze. Josh Alexander rolled through into a deadlift German suplex and the bridging pin. Naptown Dragon has been eliminated. - FOR charged at Titus Alexander in the corner with a running European uppercut, but Alexander moved out of the way and FOR drove himself sternum first into the top turnbuckle. Titus Alexander hit the Chaos Theory on FOR and made it 3 on 1. FOR has been eliminated. - As The Last Wave picked apart Mysterious Q, JJ and FOR returned to ringside and pulled Titus Alexander and Josh Alexander off the ring apron. Titus and Josh soon gained the upperhand and began to tear away at the masks of JJ and FOR. Titus Alexander tore open the eye portal on JJ’s mask to reveal Bobby Fish. Following a tombstone on the arena floor, Josh Alexander ripped off FOR’s mask to reveal Biff Busick.

- Naptown Dragon ran out to apparently make the save, but when Josh and Titus turned their attention to him, his true intentions became clear as White Rabbit slid into the ring and went for a running forearm to the back of Mr. Takeshita’s head. The devious Mr. Takeshita anticipated this tactic and White Rabbit was instead met with a savate kick. When Titus and Josh turned their attention back to the ring they were met with a sneak attack from DJ Karl Fredericks and Colby Corino who had hopped the railing. Mr. Takeshita tore away at the mask of The White Rabbit but he was low blowed from behind by Chelsea Green. Mysterious Q picked Takeshita up in torture rack position, but Takeshita elbowed his way out. Mr. Takeshita threw salt in the eyes of Chelsea Green and connected with a big Jumbo knee lift on Mysterious Q before making the cover. Mysterious Q has been eliminated.

Survivors: Josh Alexander, Titus Alexander, and Mr. Takeshita

- A helicopter could be heard landing on the baseball diamond behind the Kingston Armory. The camera followed as Biff Busick, DJ Karl Fredericks, The White Rabbit, Chelsea Green, Colby Corino, and The Naptown Dragon climbed inside. Before they could close the helicopter door, Bobby Fish tried to get in too. Those inside held Fish off, finally being pushed to the infield grass by The Naptown Dragon as the helicopter began to take flight with the door still open. The helicopter ascended into the night sky with the door hanging open and what appeared to be the Naptown Dragon struggling to close it. Somewhere over the Susquehanna River a figure could be seen falling from the helicopter and into the water below.

- Bob Dylan’s version of “Here Comes Santa Claus” played over the PA as The Man With The Bag himself, Santa Claus made his way to the ring accompanied by CORE owner Jawad Yatim for the Pro-Wrestling Yankee Swap. Santa Claus pulled six gifts from his bag and invited three young CORE fans into the ring. The first young fan opened their present containing the name Josh Alexander. The second fan selected their present which contained the name of KENTA, one of the at-large participants. KENTA then joined the festivities via ZOOM. The third fan picked their gift and it contained the name Titus Alexander. It was now time for Josh Alexander to make his selection, and his gift held the name Kerry Morton. Via ZOOM, KENTA selected one of the two remaining presents and it was unwrapped to reveal Abdullah Kobayashi. KENTA swapped his choice to Josh Alexander for Kerry Morton. Titus Alexander unwrapped the final gift and got Mr. Takeshita, and after some deliberation decided to keep him.

- CORE owner Jawad Yatim thanked everyone for a successful 2022, but announced that he had made the difficult decision to sell CORE. Yatim said that his original plan when he purchased CORE was to ultimately relocate the promotion to his native Massachusetts. But after seeing the passion of the Coal Region fans, he has decided to sell CORE to a native, dyed in the wool Pennsylvanian. The new owner will introduce themselves to the fans on Christmas night in Bethlehem, and 2023 could be the biggest year in CORE history. Artificial snow began to fall inside the Kingston Armory.

Upcoming Shows:

CORE Pro #114 To Face Unafraid The Plans That We've Made 12/25/22 SteelStacks - Bethlehem, Pennsylvania 01. Gaspar Brothers (Bobby Gaspar and Bucky Gaspar) vs. The Magician's Code ("Magic" Jake Dumas and Jarek 1:20) with CJ 02. The Trustbusters (Ari Daivari, Parker Boudreaux, and Sonny Kiss) vs. Miserably Faithful (Gaagz The Gymp, Sal The Pal, and Judais) with James Mitchell 03. Athena and Raychell Rose (with Queen Aminata) vs. Masha Slamovich and Janai Kai 04. Pro-Wrestling Yankee Swap Match #1: Josh Alexander vs. Abdullah Kobayashi 05. Pro-Wrestling Yankee Swap Match #2: KENTA vs. Kerry Morton 06. Pro-Wrestling Yankee Swap Match #3: Titus Alexander vs. Mr. Takeshita

0 notes