Ring Of Honor Supercard Of Honor 2023 Results

With ROH TV returning to Honor Club, it’s time for Ring of Honor’s 2023 to truly get started, with Supercard of Honor XVI live from Los Angeles, California.

ROH put together a frankly stacked card, with NJPW legends Katsuyori Shibata, and Hiroshi Tanahashi appearing at the event, whilst two of lucha libre’s hottest names El Hijo Del Vikingo and Komander made their ROH PPV debuts. Never mind the promise of brand new tag champions, and a ROH World Title match 15 years in the making.

Read on for all the results from ROH Supercard of Honor XVI.

Jeff Cobb def. Tracy Williams - Zero Hour Pre-Show

A clash of former ROH TV Champions opened up Zero Hour, as Jeff Cobb returned to take on ‘Hot Sauce’ Tracy Williams. A technical mat-based affair to kick off, with the crowd throwing their support behind Jeff Cobb as he outmuscled ‘Hot Sauce’ with a big back-suplex. Cobb again showed his strength advantage by hoisting Williams up for a delayed vertical suplex, and running a lap of the ring with Tracy in the air. Williams showed he was no weakling himself with a deadlift saito suplex to Cobb, getting a two after planting Cobb with a second rope diving DDT. Cobb would not be denied, firing back with a German suplex and a slugging standing clothesline, before sinking Aloha Means Goodbye for the win.

Konosuke Takeshita def. Willie Mack - Zero Hour Pre-Show

Hard-hitting action from the off, and this bout soon spilled to the floor where Willie Mack proved that he will not be intimidated by the up-and-coming Takeshita. Takeshita soon gathered his sense and nailed a big tope con hilo, but Mack regathered to hit one of his own to a loud reaction. Back in the ring and the two went strike for strike, with Mack getting a nearfall after an impressive standing moonsault. Takeshita got the better after an exchange of lariats, but Mack would not stay down, pouncing Takeshita and planting him with a stunner, only for Takeshita to hit a textbook jumping knee and a stunner of his own. Yet again Mack refused to stay down, nailing a beautiful release Northern Lights suplex, but a follow up Frog Splash did not find its mark, leaving Mack open for a Blue Thunder Bomb and a running knee as Takeshita got the three.

Willow Nightingale def. Miranda Alize - Zero Hour Pre-Show

Code of honor denied by Alize before the bell rang, but it came back to haunt her as a fired up Willow came out the traps with a Three Amigos, finished off with a Fisherwoman’s Suplex, as Willow overwhelmed Alize with offence. Alize cracked Nightingale with a snug forearm when ‘The Babe With The Power’ went for a tope suicidia, then followed up with an outside-in hurricanrana to get a foothold in the bout. Alize followed up with a series of strikes in the corner and a double arm suplex, but could only get a two count. Willow fired back with some strikes of her own and a Spinebuster for two, but Alize was wily and regained control with a short-fall DDT. Willow tried firing back but ate a Cutter, but a follow-up Drive By Kick missed, allowing Nightingale to hit a pounce before dropping the straps and hitting the Babe With The Powerbomb for the pinfall victory.

Stu Grayson def. Slim J - Zero Hour Pre-Show

Fresh from re-signing with AEW, Stu Grayson made his return to an ROH ring for the first time since 2018 in singles competition against ROH veteran Slim J. Slim J accepted the code of honor before booting Grayson’s hand, with Grayson replying with a flurry of strikes and a huge release belly-to-belly suplex as Slim J rolled to the floor alongside his counsel Smart Mark Sterling and Ari Daivari. Back in-ring and Slim J get some licks with a pair of headscissors, but Grayson fired back, crushing The Trustbuster with and inside-outside sunset flip Senton on the apron. Daivair distracted Grayson as the ref was dealing with other matters, allowing Slim J to hit a nice corkscrew kick from the top rope for two. Grayson soon built up a head of steam including a picture perfect corkscrew lionsault, coming close with a pop-up Powerslam for a two count. Around-the-world standing Sliced Bread for two for Slim J, but a huge Angle-esque moonsault couldn’t find the mark. Evil Uno took out both Daivari and Sterling on the floor, allowing Grayson to hit the Nightfall elevated backbreaker for the win.

As Uno and Grayson were celebrating in the ring, Dutch and Vincent made their return to ROH after being linked with WWE moves, as The Righteous stared down The Dark Order to end the pre-show.

El Hijo Del Vikingo (c) def. Komander - AAA Mega Championship

A ROH PPV debut for two of the most talked about lucha stars of recent time as Komander took on El Hijo Del Vikingo for the AAA Mega Championship to open up Supercard of Honor XVI. The crowd were electric before the bell even rang with loud ‘LUCHA LIBRE’ chants erupting as the match kicked off. The match started off on the mat with an exchange of surfboards before some World of Sport headstand slaps and double matrix poses after a frenetic stalemate. Vikingo launched to the outside with a skytwister, but landed in a reverse DDT into a tombstone, as Komander reveresed it, before flying back into the ring, then taking Vikingo out on the other side with a Tope Kon Hilo. Running staggered 450 off the stage by Komander, but Vikingo soon fired back with an inverted frontflip dragonrana in the corner, yet a follow up apron shooting star didn’t find its mark. Komander went for a rope run shooting star of his own but ate knees, with Vikingo firmly in the driver’s seat. A springboard hurricanrana attempt by Vikingo was countered into a sitout powerbomb, but Vikingo regained his composure to throw the challenger out and hit an inverted second rope Senton to a massive reaction. 

Inside out phoenix splash by Vikingo only got a two, but Komander fired back, hitting a stiff destroyer on the apron. With Vikingo on the floor, Komander ran the top rope - literally - and hit a ridiculous somersault as the crowd lost their minds. Roper run shooting star by Komander got a two, but Vikingo fired back with a leaping destroyer from the top, with Vikingo rolling outside onto a table to escape. Running 630 by Vikingo winded Komander as the table stayed intact, and back in the ring the champ missed a second 630 from the top rope. Hidden Ace - inverted Phoenix Splash - could only net Komander a two as Vikingo get his hand to the rope, and the champ fired back with a swing out sambo suplex from the top. Double knees in the corner for Vikingo, and a flush 630 and that’s all she wrote. Watch this match, words can’t really convey what these two luchadors pulled out tonight.

The Embassy (c) def. AR Fox, Blake Christian, & Metalik - ROH World Six-Man Tag Team Championships

This one has been building for several weeks on ROH TV, and surprisingly the code of honor was upheld, but this soon broke down into a six way fight, with the challengers hitting stereo dives to take out the champs on the floor. The Embassy quickly regrouped, and employed quick tags to keep Metalik at bay, but AR Fox soon found his way into the bout crushing Brian Cage with a series of cutters, before nailing Kaun with a tope, then one on Cage as Metalik wiped out Toa Liona. Swanton on Cage got Fox a two count, but ‘The Machine’ soon found his groove, hitting some Kanyon-esque offence. Blake Christian soon made his way in and was a house of fire, as ‘All Heart’ nailed a Fosbury flop on Liona as the challengers used their frenetic speed advantage to peg back the champs. 

The champs were unfazed, and cut the ring off once more. But the challengers peppered Cage with a series of dives for two, with Christian impressively hitting a Spicolli driver on Cage, as this devolved into a free-for-all brawl. Christian thought he was high and dry after crushing Kaun and Cage, but The Gates of Agony regrouped to take him down as the fight spilled to the floor, leaving Cage and Metalik in the ring as Cage hit the Drillclaw for the win.

Athena (c) def. Yuka Sakazaki - ROH Women's World Championship

Yuka Sakazaki made her way to the ring to the greatest theme in wrestling history, before creepy music played over the PA as a doll sat on the stage, prompting Athena to appear and stomp it into the floor. Code of honor upheld as the crowd got behind the challenger, with Yuka getting the first point by sending Athena to the floor with a headscissors and a diving cannonball to the mats from the top. Diving dropkick by Yuka missed, allowing Athena to get a foothold in the match. Sakazaki soon fired back though with some quick offence, but her neck was bothering her after the nasty landing of the Senton early in the bout. Running hurricanrana was turned into a Jericho multi-powerbomb by Athena, but the champ could only get two. 

Another two for Athena after a rolling shoulder mounted kick, but the challenger was in trouble, doubly so after eating a baseball slide to the floor. On the floor Athena was full of fire after hitting a wheelbarrow German suplex to the ‘Magic Girl’, but a follow-up dropkick missed, allowing Yuka to hit a scoop slam and a running crossbody press off the stage. Springboard splash by Sakazaki got a two count, and a series of strikes established control, but the champ fired back. Yuka scouted an O-Face attempt with a superplex, and a follow-up spin-out slam could only garner a two. With Yuka going for a springboard, Athena quickly regrouped to hit an O-Face to the rope hung challenger for the win and the successful defence.

Samoa Joe (c) def. Mark Briscoe - ROH World Television Championship

With his classic ROH Tag Team Championship in hand, Mark Briscoe made an emotional return to ROH PPV looking to finally topple Samoa Joe in singles competition on his third attempt - and his first attempt in well over a decade. 

Code of honor upheld by two ROH legends, as a heartfelt ‘DEM BOYS’ chant rippled through the crowd. After some stalling by Joe, the action got underway, with Briscoe hitting some redneck kung-fu in order to take the champ off his game. A stiff chop battle ensued, with Mark hitting a Spicolli driver as he looked for an early Froggy-bow to no avail, as Joe escaped to the floor. Briscoe tried to rush the champ on the floor but ate a belly-to-belly suplex, and back in ring the ‘King of Television’ established his control on the bout. The crowd erupted in duelling chants, with Joe winning a stand-up fight, before crushing Briscoe with a textbook elbow suicida. Joe took his eye off of Mark for a second, and ‘The Sussex County Chicken’ flew Sabu style with a chair assisted tope con hilo to take the big man down. Joe took too long antagonising the crowd and arguing with the ref, allowing Mark to hit a running Blockbuster from the apron through a table then followed up with some Redneck kung-fu in-ring, as a second chop battle took flight. Mark went for a tag to no avail, and fired up with a big uranage, but a bleeding Joe fought out of a Jay Driller attempt and hit a trademark snap powerslam, then the classic powerbomb into STF/Crossface combo as Briscoe found the ropes.

Big backdrop suplex fired up Briscoe again, but Joe took him down with a stiff clothesline for two. Mark again fired back, taking Joe down and hitting the Froggybow for an excruciatingly close two-count. Joe was dazed and Mark knew it, but Joe fought out of a Cutthroat Driver attempt to lock in the choke, taking Briscoe down with a sleeper suplex before choking him out as Mark Briscoe’s kids cried from the front row. Post-match Joe shook Mark’s hand to applause, and you can bet Briscoe will fight his way back into contention once more. As Joe left, an emotional Mark Briscoe soaked in the adulation of the crowd, before embracing his family at ringside to huge cheers. 

Hiroshi Tanahashi def. Daniel Garcia

A pensive looking Garcia took the ring before one of the toughest challenges of his career, as ‘The Ace’ Hiroshi Tanahashi made his ROH return to a predictably raucous reaction. Loud ‘GO ACE’ chants rang out as the competitors locked up, with Garcia sarcastically applauding the NJPW legend. 

Garcia wasn’t in the mood to play nice, tugging Tanahashi’s hair, but ‘The Ace’ fired back with a springboard reverse crossbody, before taking the fight to the floor. Garcia was quick though, sending Tanahashi into the steel steps before attacking his knee and dancing like a fool - such is the role of a sports entertainer. As Garcia continued assaulting Tanahashi’s knees, the crowd berated him with ‘YOU’RE A WRESTLER’ chants, momentarily taking DG off his game… only momentarily though as Garcia riled up Tanahashi by mocking the pose of his former roster-mate Shinsuke Nakamura. This is only seemed to fire Tanahashi up though, as he fought back and crushed Garcia with a second rope cannonball for two. After another flurry from Garcia, the two exchanged standing strikes in the centre of the ring, before Garcia took it to the mat looking for the Sharpshooter.

Tanahashi came back with a stiff Dragon screw into a high-angle Cloverleaf. The fight went into the corner, where Garcia once again jarred Tanahashi’s knee, and rocked the NJPW legend with a German suplex and a stiff leg strike for two. Tanahashi fired back with a Slingblade for two, and a High Fly Flow got the win and sealed the deal for ‘The Ace’. Garcia refused the code of honor as the realisation of another high profile loss settled on his face.

The Lucha Bros def. The Kingdom, Top Flight, Aussie Open, & La Faccion Ingobernable - ROH World Tag Team Championships Reach for the Sky Ladder Match

It didn’t take long for ladders to come into play in this match, with the Kingdom attempting to wipe out Top Flight with some steps, but The Martins were met by LFI with RUSH drilling ladders into Top Flight with a hellacious Bull’s Horns. Aussie Open were next in to take out LFI, and were in-turn attacked by The Lucha Brothers. Inverted Code Red by Fenix and Penta sandwiched Aussie Open either side of a ladder, With all of their opponents on either side of the ring, LFI took everyone out with a set of topes, before The Kingdom hit an hellacious tope Doomsday Device onto Darius Martin on the floor.

The Kingdom set up a stack of tables by the entrance ramp, as the fighting continued around the ring. Aussie Open hit stereo piledrivers on The Kingdom on the top of the ramp, then ran roughshod with two sets of ladders at ringside. LFI took out The Luchas as they made an attempt on the titles, but were stopped in their tracks by a bleeding Kingdom, with Mike Bennett and RUSH foregoing the ladders to have a good old fashioned punch-up in the middle of the ring, with RUSH coming out on top. Dralistico dumped Taven into a corner ladder with a belly-to-belly suplex,and ws quick to stop The Martins from getting the win. Running Van Dam-esque chair dropkick by Top Flight to RUSH, as Aussie Open re-emerged.

Dante Martin out of nowhere with a springboard dropkick stopped Aussie Open, before Darius took Matt Taven off a horizontally propped ladder with a Spanish Fly, and Dante crushed Mike Bennett with a top of the ladder sunset flip powerbomb. Assisted spinebuster by Aussie Open took Dante Martin out on a ladder at ringside, before Dralistico took out commentary with a diving hurricanrana to Kyle Fletcher into the announce table, Taven in turn took Dralistico out with a diving bodysplash through the LFI member through a ladder at ringside. Belly-to-belly by RUSH planted Mark Davies onto a ringside ladder form the apron. At the top of the ladder in ring, Penta crushed Dante Martin with a Mexican Destroyer from a ladder bridge to the outside through four tables as refs swarmed the scene. With Fenix on his own at the top of the ladder, The Kingdom attacked, but Fenix fought them off to grab the titles as The Lucha Brothers became ROH World Tag Team Champions.

Post-match Mark Briscoe would come out to congratulate the new champions, as would FTR to a loud reaction.

Katsuyori Shibata def. Wheeler Yuta (c) - ROH Pure Championship

A fired up Wheeler Yuta was flanked by BCC team mate Jon Moxley as he sought to take on the returning Katsuyori Shibata, as Madison Rayne, Pat Buck, and Christopher Daniels watched on from the judge’s table.

Shibata was straight on the offence, taking Yuta down and tying him up in knots before going for a PK that missed by inches as the enormity of the task ahead hit Yuta. Shibata took it to the mat once more locking in a figure four heelhook as Yuta fought the temptation of the rope break, but eventually the pain was too much and Yuta had to yield and use his first break. Shibata nearly had it won with the hammer and anvil elbows, then followed up with a choke to wear down Yuta. The champ fired back though, and attempted to phase out ‘The Wrestler’ with chops, but ate some stiff kicks for his troubles. With the refs back turned Yuta hit a mulekick lowblow to Shibata, although a follow up closed fist punch was caught by the ref for an official warning. Shibata absorbed more chops before sending Yuta crumpling into the corner with a forearm, and some mocking facekicks before the trademark high angle corner dropkick and a suplex for two.

Yuta was forced into using a second ropebreak as Shibata continued his assault, and after some more stiffkicks to the chest Yuta launched a huge spit into Shibata’s face before hitting some kicks of his own and taking control back. A stiff slap from Shibata sent Yuta reeling, opening him up for a sleeper and a PK as Katsuyori Shibata got the three to win the PURE Championship.

Claudio Castagnoli (c) def. Eddie Kingston - ROH World Championship

Big fight feel with full in-ring introductions, an no surprises to see no code of honor as Eddie Kingston flipped Claudio off and rushed him with corner chops to start the bout. Eddie was fired up and grabbed a chair, but threw it down to return to the ring and suplex Claudio before once again attempting to outstrike the two-time ROH World Champion.

Eddie went for a tope suicida but received a European Uppercut for his troubles, but with Claudio in control Eddie showed he wasn’t phased by flipping the champ off once more as Claudio delivered some stiff open hand chops and a vertical suplex to the floor to ‘The Mad King’. Claudio went for the big swing but was met with slaps, and proceeded to hit Kingston with stomps and a swandive headbutt from the top for a nearfall. Eddie took it to s lugfest again, but Claudio finally got the Swing, but could only pull off a few rotations before abandoning it due to knee problems sustained earlier in the bout. Knee issues didn’t stop Claudio from dropkicking a turnbuckle seated Eddie from the mat, and followed up with a superplex for two. 

The crowd were divided in their support as Claudio took control of the bout, but Eddie fired back with a tope suicida, but Claudio wouldn’t stay down. Second rope Rick Steiner bulldog by Eddie got a two, and a Kingston back suplex attempt was blocked by Claudio who continued with his assault as this became a war of attrition. Kingston fired back to lock in the Stretch Plum in the centre of the ring, but Claudio fought to the ropes. Backdrop driver from Eddie got a two, and Claudio looked visibly shocked as his old rival threw everything at him. Returning to standing strikes, Claudio blocked a backfist attempt, and came very close to a win with a strong lariat. Claudio went for the Ricola Bomb, but Eddie wriggled free and hit the backfist… but could only get two once more. 

The action spilled to the apron, and with Eddie looking for an Exploder, Claudio had the wherewithal to evade it and hit a gutwrench suplex to the floor. Claudio continued his assault on the floor bringing a guardrail into play, and after rolling Eddie back into the ring he looked to end it with a running European uppercut, but could only get two. Claudio got in Eddie’s face saying he’ll never earn his respect, then ate two Backfists before hitting The Neutraliser for a one count as the audience exploded. Another European Uppercut got a two count, and Castagnoli peppered a dazed Eddie with several strikes before attempting a Ricola Bomb… but Eddie turned it into a Frankensteiner for a nearfall, as Claudio rolled through and got the three count, as Eddie looked on astonished.

Post-match Wheeler Yuta came out to congratulate his BCC team-mate as Eddie looked on dejected. Claudio offered his hand to Eddie in recognition, but as Claudio and Yuta went to attack Eddie, Shibata re-emerged to stand with Kingston and even the odds. Claudio held the ROH World Title aloft as Shibata reacted in kind with the PURE Championship, as ‘The Wrestler’ raised Kingston’s arm as the crowd cheered.

Eddie took a mic and swore his head off for fun before acknowledging Shibata and Tanahashi, before telling the ROH audience “I’m not going f****** anywhere” and promising to beat Claudio in the future.

Full results - ROH Supercard of Honor XVI:

• Claudio Castagnoli (c) def. Eddie Kingston - ROH World Championship
• Katsuyori Shibata def. Wheeler Yuta (c) - ROH Pure Championship
• The Lucha Bros def. The Kingdom, Top Flight, Aussie Open, & La Faccion Ingobernable - ROH World Tag Team Championships Reach for the Sky Ladder Match
• Hiroshi Tanahashi def. Daniel Garcia
• Samoa Joe (c) def. Mark Briscoe - ROH World Television Championship
• Athena (c) def. Yuka Sakazaki - ROH Women's World Championship
• The Embassy (c) def. AR Fox, Blake Christian, & Metalik - ROH World Six-Man Tag Team Championships
• El Hijo Del Vikingo (c) def. Komander - AAA Mega Championship
• Stu Grayson def. Slim J - Zero Hour Pre-Show
• Willow Nightingale def. Miranda Alize - Zero Hour Pre-Show
• Konosuke Takeshita def. Willie Mack - Zero Hour Pre-Show
• Jeff Cobb def. Tracy Williams - Zero Hour Pre-Show