Tossing Salt Presents:
ROH Final Battle PPV
Thoughts & Predictions
DougMaynard.com
Doug Maynard

Tonight, live on Roku, Xbox, FireTV, and the HonorClub Service, is Ring of Honor Final Battle. And you know what that means, right? It’s prediction time. Let’s roll.

ROH Women’s World Title Match:
Athena (champion) vs. Billie Starkz

Athena has been making the news a lot lately and getting a big push in the media and for Tony Khan, that absolutely has to mean something. Bille Starkz is a talented young woman, but honestly, who could pick her out of a police lineup even if she’s holding a sign that says, “Pick Me!”. So we’re supposed to think that she’s ready to be the face of the ROH Women’s Division? No, I don’t think so either.

Winner and STILL ROH Women’s Champion: Athena

ROH Pure Title Match:
Wheeler Yuta (champion) vs. Tom Lawlor

Wheeler Yuta is the one member of the BBC who never seems to win, yet he still manages to hold on to a title in ROH. Okay, my apologies. I meant to say BCC and not BBC. I don’t think Yuta qualifies for that club. He’s not 2 Cold Scorpio after all. Lawlor is a very underrated and damn good wrestler and talent. I think we’ll see a new champion here.

Winner and NEW ROH Pure Champion: Tom Lawlor

Survival of the Fittest Six-Way Elimination Match to Crown a New ROH World Television Champion:
Dalton Castle vs. Komander vs. Lee Moriarty vs. Lee Johnson vs. Kyle Fletcher vs. TBA

A Television title match for a company that doesn’t have a show on TV. Oy vey! I don’t know who the TBA person will be, but it doesn’t matter. Dalton Castle is made for entertaining television and he and his boys are long overdue for a big push. I think it starts now.

Winner and NEW ROH Television Champion: Dalton Castle

AAA Mega Title Match:
El Hijo del Vikingo (champion) vs. Black Taurus

Tony Khan’s Dream Match that no one else gives a damn about. This is high-flying, choreographed spots and a botch or two to make the YouTube crowd happy. I think the mighty midget, El Hijo del Vikingo will retain his title.

Winner and STILL AAA Mega Champion: El Hijo del Vikingo

ROH Six-Man Tag Team Title Match:
Champions Brian Cage & Gates of Agony (Bishop Kaun & Toa Liona) vs. TMDK (Shane Haste, Bad Dude Tito & Kosei Fujita)

I’ll be honest here. Except for mentions in show recaps, I have no idea at all who five of these six men are. I do know Brian Cage though and I like this dude. He’s got skills. I think he and his partners, the Gates who cause Agony just by trying to remember who they are, will retain their titles.

Winners and STILL ROH Six-Man Tag Team Champions: Brian Cage and The Gates of Agony.

Keith Lee vs. Shane Taylor

Three years ago, this would have been a must-see match and at the top of the card. Taylor was on fire as part of ROH and Lee was hot, motivated, and looked like the next big thing. And now, not so much for either man. Taylor is just another name lost in the shuffle of the AEW/ROH roster and Lee? How the mighty have fallen and fallen hard. Lee still has more name recognition than Taylor so Lee wins.

Winner: Keith Lee

I Quit Match:
Ethan Page vs. Tony Nese

Has there been any build or reason at all for this match to be an “I Quit” match? When was the last time either man was featured on AEW TV or in a memorable segment? Both guys are damn good and very underrated talents who deserve much better. It’s “I Quit” so the babyface wins. Which one is the babyface? Nese was a heel the last time I saw him so I’ll assume he still is. Page wins.

Winner: Ethan Page

Six-Man Tag Team Match:
Jon Moxley, Claudio Castagnoli, & Bryan Danielson vs. FTR (Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler) & Mark Briscoe

The big-name match will probably headline and close out the show, as it should. Why is Bryan Danielson being allowed to wrestle? Has that orbital bone injury miraculously healed itself? I doubt it. Look for Danielson to be used sparingly. Look for Claudio to be the workhorse of the team. Look for Moxley to bleed within three minutes of getting into the ring. And look for FTR and Mark Briscoe to win, as they should.

Winners: FTR and Mark Briscoe

The Von Erichs (Ross Von Erich & Marshall Von Erich) w/Kevin Von Erich vs. The Outrunners (Turbo Floyd & Truth Magnum)

Tony Khan has the Von Erichs debuting for ROH and working their second match under the AEW/ROH Umbrella and this is the match that he comes up with? Really? Oy vey (again). The third-generation First Family of Texas wins and Daddy Kevin gets to put the claw on someone for a memorable moment because otherwise, this match is just filler and a waste of space.

Winners: The Von Erichs (Ross & Marshall) w/ Kevin Von Erich.

And there you go with my predictions. So what do you think? Will you be watching? Let me know along with your other thoughts, comments, or any questions about this event or anything at all wrestling-related. Be sure to like, share, and subscribe. And with that, I need to wrap this thing up. I need to be at the doctor’s office in twenty minutes. Take care and be well, my friends. Watch out for the Iron Claw and I’ll see you at the matches.

Ubuntu!