ROH Death Before Dishonor 2022 Results

The second Ring of Honor show of the Tony Khan era, Death Before Dishonor 2022 (or DBD XIX for the old school ROH fans) saw every ROH title on the line, in Lowell, MA’s Tsongas Center.

We saw returns, title changes, and a surprise or two, so read on for all the results from Ring of Honor Death Before Dishonor 2022:

Colt Cabana def. Anthony Henry - Zero Hour Pre-Show

Henry kicked it off by snubbing the code of honour, as the crowd got firmly behind Cabana. The two kept it on the mat with plenty of technical counter wrestling, with Henry gaining a foothold soon in the match, working over Colt’s neck. Henry came close after spiking ‘Boom Boom’ with a piledriver, but Cabana fought on, nailing Henry with a series of stiff strikes and a thudding lariat for two. JD Drake attacked Cabana on the outside as the ref was distracted, but a follow up Frog Splash from Henry could only get a two. Eventually Cabana locked in the Billy Goat’s Curse, before getting the win with a textbook moonsault after thwarting more interference by Drake.

Trustbusters def. Shinobi Shadow Squad - Zero Hour Pre-Show

Cheeseburger came out in a Delirious mask, as he and Eli Isom took on the newly formed Trustbusters - Ari Daivari and Slim J. The Busters were all over Cheeseburger until he tagged in Isom, but the Trustbusters were always one step ahead, turning momentum back in their favour whenever CB was in the match. Slim J nailed Isom with wonderful cutter, then a combo diving crossbody/frogsplash combo by The Trustbusters sealed the win.

Lexi Nair interviewed ROH great Prince Nana backstage, with Nana claiming that he purchased Tully Blanchard Enterprises, stating he’ll be ringside for the group’s matches tonight.

Brian Cage & Gates of Agony def. Tony Deppen, Alex Zayne, & Blake Christian - Zero Hour Pre-Show

So it seems TBE is no longer, as Prince Nana has resurrected The Embassy. Despite a spirited effort by Deppen, Cage manhandled him with a series of throws and suplexes like he weighed nothing. Zayne faired better against Kaun, but The GOA swung the momentum back in their favour after taking Zayne off his game. Toa Liona nearly took Zayne’s head off with a shoulder barge, then Kaun crushed him with a side suplex onto the top turnbuckle. Deadlift apron to inside suplex by Cage got a two, and soon Blake Christian got the hot tag, clearing house and planting ‘The Machine’ with a tornado DDT, but a Fosbury flop attempt was caught by GOA, who were then crushed by a Deppen cannonball. Arabian press moonsault by Zayne took out Cage, allowing Christian and Deppen to capitalise - but only for a two. All six men were frenetic with a series of strikes all over the ring, before Embassy nailed Deppen with a series of high impact moves for the win.

Willow Nightingale def. Allysin Kay - Zero Hour Pre-Show

Big ovation for Willow as she took on The Hex’s Allysin Kay, and after the code of honor was upheld, the two flew out the traps, with Kay going for a quick Kimura, to no avail. Kay soon took control after an early flurry from Willow, as the crowd threw their support behind Nightingale. AK nailed Willow with a spin kick to the head, but Willow rebounded into a lariat, as ‘The Babe with the Power’ built momentum, getting a two after a top rope shotgun dropkick. DVD by Willow got a two, legtrap backpack driver by AK got a two, but a big pounce by Willow led to a gutwrench ligerbomb for the win.

Claudio Castagnoli def. Jonathan Gresham (c) - ROH World Championship

Surprisingly we kicked off Death Before Dishonor with the ROH World Championship match, as Claudio Castagnoli made his ROH return to a massive ovation, with William Regal by his side. Understated entrance for Gresham - no mask, no flag, no jacket. 

Code of honor upheld, as Claudio tried to crush Gresham with a European uppercut, but found nothing. Duelling chants as both men looked for an opening, with Claudio getting first blood with the big swing. Plenty of mat wrestling, as well as massive feats of strength by both men, with Claudio pulling off a deadlift gutwrench on the second rope. Gresham worked over Claudio’s knees, but Claudio kept on top of the champ with big throws and strikes. Big stiff forearm by Gresham got a two, as ‘The Octopus’ went straight into an ankle lock. Standing strikes exchanged, but Claudio’s knee gave out during a UFO attempt, allowing Gresham back on top with a two from a deadlift German suplex.

Swiss Death and a big lariat planted the champ, before Claudio unloaded with the BCC hammer and anvil elbows and The Ricola Bomb for the win, and Claudio Castagnoli is your new ROH World Champion. Gresham shook hands with Claudio as we had a very European celebration.

Lexi Nair was backstage with Daniel Garcia, as Garcia putting over the merits of ‘sports entertainment’ against pure rules wrestling. Garcia vowed to win, and smash the title belt into pieces on AEW: Dynamite.

Dalton Castle & The Boys def. The Righteous (c) - ROH Six-Man Tag Team Championship

Exuberant entrance as always from Dalton Castle and The Boys, before The Righteous made their ROH return, flanked by Vita VonStarr. Dalton and The Boys started strongly, but Dutch soon overpowered The Boys, as Vincent asserted control over Brent Tate. Dalton came back in to dish out exploder suplexes, before using his boys as human darts against the champs, throwing the Tate twins out of the ring around eight times to a big ovation. VonStarr caused a distraction, then inadvertently wiped out The Righteous with an asai moonsault, as Dutch nailed a huge cannonball tope on The Boys. Triple offence on Brent Tate almost sealed it, but Castle broke the pin, ran wild, and hit Bangarang on Bateman to seal the win and lift the ROH Six-Man Tag Titles for a second time.

Sonjay Dutt, Jay Lethal, and Satnam Singh were backstage in white suits, as Dutt explained that in his culture, you wear white head to toe for someone’s funeral. Lethal said Joe he faces death or dishonor, but the choice has been made for him.

Wheeler Yuta (c) def. Daniel Garcia - ROH Pure Championship

Ace Steel, John Walters, and Josh Woods judging at ringside. Code of honor upheld, but with hands locked both men fired off forearms. Straightjacket holds exchanged by both competitors, before Garcia unceremoniously launched Yuta to the outside. Very even five minutes into the bout, as both men took as much punishment as they dished out, before Yuta slowed it down with a bow and arrow, before transitioning into a double German suplex. Garcia came back in with an ear bite, then hammered Yuta to assert control. Stiff slap exchange got a huge round of applause, with Yuta coming out on top, before the two exchanged hammer and anvil elbows, with Garcia coming out on top.

Very even match as the two swapped suplexes and submission attempts, with Garcia busting out The Regal Stretch, before Yuta fired back with a Walls of Jericho - leading to Garcia using his first rope break. Garcia came close with a piledriver, then took too long setting up the arm trapped stomps, allowing Yuta to get the seatbelt pin out of nowhere for the successful retention of the Pure Title. Garcia ignored the post-match handshake, flipping off Yuta, before flipping off the ROH logo on his way to the back.

RUSH def. Dragon Lee

A first time ever singles bout for brothers RUSH and Dragon Lee, with ‘El Toro Blanco’ accompanied to the ring by Jose the assistant. Pre-match hug, before both brothers went into crisp chain wrestling, and a few moments later all formalities went out the window as stiff strikes came into play. Tope from RUSH woke the crowd up, RUSH angrily and disrespectfully kicking his brother in the face, after faking a Bull’s Horns in the corner. Tope from Dragon Lee, before he lawndarted himself from the ring through RUSH through the timekeeper’s table with a huge tope suicida.

Two fro Dragon Lee after a double stomp, but a series of kicks only angered RUSH, as the two exchanged standing forearms, chops, and German suplexes. Apron chop exchange ended with RUSH launching Dragon Lee off the apron with a massive release belly-to-belly suplex, but the younger brother fired back with an inside-outside running hurricanrana. Both men narrowly beat a double count-out at the 19 count, before exchanging more chops, with RUSH launching Dragon Lee into the corner with another release suplex, before nailing the Bulls Horns… for two.

One count for Dragon Lee after a rope hung double stomp, then a two after a ligerbomb, then another two after the Incinerator knee. RUSH played possum on his own brother, then sank another Bull’s Horns for the win.

Mercedes Martinez (c) def. Serena Deeb - ROH Women's Championship

Code of honor upheld, despite the issues between the competitors in recent weeks. Submission exchanges to start things off, before Martinez used her power advantage to establish control. Chop battle outside the ring led to Deeb cutting the champ in half with an apron spear, before bringing Martinez back in the ring and getting a two after a Diamond Dust. Martinez fired back with a half-and-half suplex, then a lovely top rope eastern stretch, but Deeb wasn’t out, locking Mercedes in the tree of woe and peppering her with kicks. 

Deebtox in the centre of the ring was fully locked in, but Martinez powered out, wearing Deeb down with a submission before the two exchanged kicks on the mat. Martinez crushed Deeb with a nasty looking rope hung spider German suplex, but Deeb collapsed before Mercedes could hit the Execution forearm. Deeb was playing possum, but only angered Martinez, with Deeb using this to her advantage to hit a tornado DDT into a Serenity Lock in the centre of the ring. Martinez fought on, nailing a Cheeky Nandos before the OG Drop for a two. Textbook Dragon Sleeper in the centre of the ring secured the win for Martinez. Big hug between the competitors after the bell.

Samoa Joe (c) def. Jay Lethal - ROH TV Championship

Jay Lethal sent Dutt and Singh to the back, as the audience taunted him with ‘Joe’s Gonna Kill You’ chants. The two brawled in the aisle before either man reached the ring, beating each other all round ringside. Lethal hit the trio of tope suicidas before Joe could even get in the ring - again, no bell had been rung. Lethal went for the Joe ole kick on the outside, but ate one from Joe instead. Satnam Singh ran out to help Lethal crush Joe’s arm against the ringpost with a chair, but was quickly sent to the back as the bell finally rang. 

Exchange of strikes from both men, with Joe busting out some vintage Samoa Joe offence. Lethal focused his attacks on Joe’s elbow and shoulder after Singh’s attack, hoping to neutralise the Muscle Buster. Very strike heavy match, with Joe nailing the tope elbow, and peppering his former protege with numerous volleys to wear him down, turning him inside out with a big clothesline for a two count. Lethal absorbed everything Joe threw at him, and came close with a two after a Lethal Combination, but could not sink the Figure Four leglock. Lethal went for a Muscle Buster to no avail, and ended up eating a leg lariat from the champ. Joe went for a Muscle Buster but Lethal wriggled out and hit the Lethal Injection - but only got a two.

Joe wouldn’t stay down, and as he went for a Muscle Buster Sonjay Dutt distracted the ref, allowing Lethal to hit a belt shot, but again could only get a two. Lethal went for another Lethal Injection, but was caught in the Coquina Clutch, eventually tapping out as Joe retained.

FTR (c) def. The Briscoes - ROH Tag Team Championship 2-of-3 falls match

Our main event was a follow-up to a 2022 MOTY candidate, as The Briscoes and FTR fought over the ROH World Tag Team Championships for a second time, in a two-out-of-three falls match.

In-ring introductions for this one, as duelling chants rang out in the crowd. Slow start as Dax Harwood and Mark Briscoe felt each other out, but things picked up as Mark dished out some redneck kung fu on Cash Wheeler. Jay Briscoe and Dax wrestled at a super quick speed, with Briscoe getting the advantage in their early exchanges, leading to Doc Samson checking Dax over at ringside. Plenty of quick tags from both teams, as no-one could establish a firm lead in the hunt for pinfall number one. ‘Dem Boys’ rocked Cash with a double shoulder tackle, then isolated him as Dax could only look on. Beautiful catch suplex by Cash levelled Mark Briscoe, and a rejuvenated ‘Uncle Dax’ ran wild, as he and Mark looked for that first fall. Cash crushed Mark with an apron clothesline as he went for the Cactus elbow, before Dax got a nearfall with a stiff DDT on Jay. Doomsday Device got the first fall for The Briscoes.

Mark brutalised Dax with some stiff chops on the outside, busting Harwood’s chest open, as Jay dished out some of his own. Dax fought on, but couldn’t get the tag off to Wheeler, instead opting to absolutely crush Jay with a super back suplex. Briscoes continuously kept Cash down to deny the tag, and a Redneck Boogie surely ensured the clean sweep - but Dax had the wherewithal to kick out at two. Mark continued the assault on Dax, until he got the hot tag to Cash Wheeler, who ran wild with elbows, chops, suplexes, and a slugging lariat on Mark. Mark kicked out after a Gory special, as Dax and Jay fought in the crowd, with Cash and Mark fighting at the timekeeper’s area. Jay nailed Cash with the bell as the ref was distracted, but Mark could not capitalise, and Dax broke up a pin after a Spicolli driver/elbow drop combo. FTR fought on to hit a Big Rig for the second fall as the match hit the 30 minute mark.

‘Fight forever’ chants, as a blood spattered Mark and Cash brawled in the middle of the ring, before Briscoe took the fight to Dax on the apron. Running blockbuster to the floor by Mark before Jay took back over in ring. Stiff piledriver by Dax got a two count, before The Briscoes went for another Doomsday Device to no avail. An accidental stray shot took out the referee, as Jay hit a Jay Driller on Dax in the ring - with no-one there to count the fall. A second Big Rig couldn’t do it, with Jay becoming the first person ever to kick out of the move - only possible because Cash had to wake the ref and roll him back in the ring. A second Doomsday Device looked to have it done, but Cash saved the day for FTR, before slugging it out in the ring with Mark Briscoe. Cash and Mark ended up outside after a rebound suplex went awry, with Dax and Jay out-and-out hockey fighting in the ring. Double clutches from The Briscoes saw FTR grip hands to prevent a tap, before Cash absolutely launched Mark with a second rope back drop to the outside through the timekeeper’s table. Jay Driller to Dax could only get a two, and a gnarly second rope piledriver from Dax got the decisive final fall after another absolute war between these two top tier tag teams.

Post-match, FTR grabbed a mic and asked The Briscoes to get back in the ring to soak in the adulation of the crowd as handshakes and hugs were exchanged. Dax enthusiastically exclaimed how much he loves pro wrestling, as Cash described how they just fought like an eight-year-old girl. Suddenly, Claudio Castagnoli, Wheeler Yuta, and William Regal arrived on the stage to congratulate FTR, seemingly setting up a clash between the two teams at some point in the future.

Full results:

• FTR (c) def. The Briscoes - ROH Tag Team Championship 2-of-3 falls match
• Samoa Joe (c) def. Jay Lethal - ROH TV Championship
• Mercedes Martinez (c) def. Serena Deeb - ROH Women's Championship
• RUSH def. Dragon Lee
• Wheeler Yuta (c) def. Daniel Garcia - ROH Pure Championship
• Dalton Castle & The Boys def. The Righteous (c) - ROH Six-Man Tag Team Championship
• Claudio Castagnoli def. Jonathan Gresham (c) - ROH World Championship
• Willow Nightingale def. Allysin Kay - Zero Hour Pre-Show
• Brian Cage & Gates of Agony def. Tony Deppen, Alex Zayne, & Blake Christian - Zero Hour Pre-Show
• Trustbusters def. Shinobi Shadow Squad - Zero Hour Pre-Show
• Colt Cabana def. Anthony Henry - Zero Hour Pre-Show