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There’s something pretty fitting about a wrestling show called Final Battle taking place toward the very end of the year. ROH Final Battle has done exactly that for years, from the first edition in Philadelphia in 2002 all the way to the present.
And while Ring of Honor has undergone its ups and downs over that time, there’s no question that keeping the event on the calendar was something Tony Khan was invested in doing once he acquired ROH. This year’s show is being offered exclusively on HonorClub, making it something of a test for that streaming service and a way to potentially drive more subscriptions.
An even bigger question surrounding this show is whether it shows ROH at a crossroads moment. For one of the few times in Final Battle history, the show will not feature the ROH World Championship in its main event, as that title is currently wrapped up in AEW’s Continental Classic tournament. The ROH World Tag Team Championship, held by MJF (and the injured Adam Cole), will also not be defended in Garland, Texas.
But that could allow a greater share of the spotlight to fall on one of the top women’s wrestling stars in any promotion, as Athena defends the ROH Women’s World Championship in the culmination of a long-running storyline with challenger Billie Starkz. Other highlights include FTR teaming with Mark Briscoe to face the Blackpool Combat Club in a match to honor the late Jay Briscoe, as well as a six-man Survival of the Fittest showdown to crown a new ROH World Television Champion.
While there could still be additional matches added before the show, here’s how the card looks right now.
Last update: Dec. 13, 10:15 p.m. ET.
ROH Final Battle 2023 card:
- Dalton Castle vs. Komander vs. Kyle Fletcher vs. Lee Johnson vs. Lee Moriarty vs. TBD – Survival of the Fittest Finals for the vacant ROH World Television Championship
- Keith Lee vs. Shane Taylor
- Ethan Page vs. Tony Nese – “I Quit” match
- FTR and Mark Briscoe vs. Blackpool Combat Club (Bryan Danielson, Claudio Castagnoli and Jon Moxley) – Jay Briscoe Memorial Fight Without Honor
- Athena (c) vs. Billie Starkz – ROH Women’s World Championship match
- El Hijo del Vikingo (c) vs. Black Taurus – AAA Mega Championship match