ROH: Two title matches made for Supercard of Honor

Four weeks before ROH’s first streaming event of the year and we finally have two official matches. While the TV tournament final match should be on Supercard of Honor, it has never been announced. 

Last week, I lamented about the lack of titles featured on ROH programming along with a lack of stories surrounding those titles. Although ATHENA has had feuds, she hasn’t had anything leading up to Supercard. The #ForeverChampion complained about not having any contenders in ROH that could potentially defeat her. Enter Hikaru Shida. The former AEW World Champion challenged ATHENA for Supercard. 

I also noted that the ROH Championship has not been on Honor Club since November 8 (and prior to the creation of the Continental Crown). The Continental Crown has been defended several times on AEW and NJPW. Eddie Kingston has appeared on Honor Club once in a promo back in January. On Thursday, he appeared via video once again.

Kingston pointed out that Supercard is in Philadelphia, the birthplace of ROH. Mark Briscoe was supposed to have a shot at the ROH Championship at Death Before Dishonor against Claudio Castnagoli, but was injured. Kingston also pointed out that Briscoe couldn’t wrestle on the first ROH show because he was only 17. 

Briscoe never earned his shot at the ROH title after he returned from injury. “You’ve been earning this shot for years. You deserve this shot and I want to be the man that gives you that shot.” 

At least there’s a story for the ROH Championship (that is the only title being defended; Kingston is defending only the Continental Championship against Kazuchika Okada on next week's Dynamite). Briscoe hasn’t appeared on Honor Club since January. He has ties to both ROH and Kingston, along with a title shot he never got. Shida and ATHENA will be amazing even with a lack of story. A three-time women’s champion versus the longest-reigning women’s champion in ROH history made not technically be a story, but it works.

Back to the Women’s Television Championship tournament. Our semi-final matches have been set. Billie Starkz defeated Diamanté to advance. Abadon nearly had former Women’s Champion Mercedes Martinez beat until Diamanté hit them from the outside when the referee was distracted. 

Starkz will face Martinez in the next round. Will Diamanté help her friend again so that she can make it to the finals? Queen Aminata will face Red Velvet in the other bracket. Both women have been on a roll since returning from their respective injuries.

As Tony Khan is getting down to crunch time, a flurry of matches will be made to fill out the supercard.