The 2023 Final Battle was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by American promotion Ring of Honor (ROH). It was the 22nd Final Battle event and took place on December 15, 2023 at the Curtis Culwell Center in Garland, Texas. The event exclusively aired on HonorClub and was the first Final Battle event since 2007 not to feature an ROH World Championship match on the card.
Fourteen matches were contested at the event, with four on the Zero-Hour pre-show. In the main event, Athena defeated Billie Starkz to retain the ROH Women's World Championship. In other prominent matches, Dem Top Guys (FTR (Cash Wheeler and Dax Harwood) and Mark Briscoe) defeated Blackpool Combat Club (Bryan Danielson, Jon Moxley and Claudio Castagnoli) in a Jay Briscoe Memorial Fight Without Honor, Kyle Fletcher defeated Komander, Bryan Keith, Lee Moriarty, Dalton Castle, and Lee Johnson in a Survival of the Fittest elimination match to win the vacant ROH World Television Championship, Ethan Page defeated Tony Nese in an "I Quit" match and in the opening contest, El Hijo del Vikingo defeated Black Taurus to retain the AAA Mega Championship.
Production Background Final Battle is a professional wrestling event produced by Ring of Honor. First held in 2002, it is traditionally ROH's last show in the calendar year. It is widely regarded as Ring of Honor's premiere flagship event, similar to WWE's WrestleMania. On October 18, 2023, ROH announced that Final Battle would be held at the Curtis Culwell Center in Garland, Texas on December 15 and would air exclusively on HonorClub.
Storylines The event featured professional wrestling matches that involve different wrestlers from pre-existing scripted feuds and storylines. Wrestlers portray villains, heroes, or less distinguishable characters in scripted events that build tension and culminate in a wrestling match or series of matches. Storylines will be produced on ROH's weekly series ROH Honor Club TV exclusively on their streaming service Honor Club, on television programs of sister promotion All Elite Wrestling including Dynamite, Rampage, and Collision, and via promotional videos on both the ROH and AEW YouTube channels.
On the November 8 episode of Dynamite, Samoa Joe vacated the ROH World Television Championship in order to challenge for the AEW World Championship. On the following ROH Honor Club TV episode, ROH president Tony Khan announced the return of the Survival of the Fittest tournament to crown a new champion, with qualifying matches taking place over the next several weeks, as the finals would take place at Final Battle. The first two men to qualify were Dalton Castle and Komander, who defeated Evil Uno and Gringo Loco respectively. Kyle Fletcher, Lee Moriarty and Lee Johnson later qualified by beating Gravity, Josh Woods and Tracy Williams respectively. On the December 14 episode of ROH Honor Club TV, Tony Khan announced that the sixth and final competitor in the Survival of the Fittest final would be revealed at Final Battle.
On the December 2 episode of AEW Collision, interviewer Lexy Nair asked Keith Lee who he was referring to on the past week's Collision when Lee mentioning wanting to face "him". As Lee was about to speak, Shane Taylor walked up and said that their tag team match at last year's Final Battle, where Lee and Swerve Strickland defeated Taylor and JD Griffey, didn't solve their issues. Taylor then challenged Lee to a match for Final Battle, which Lee accepted.
For several weeks, "Smart" Mark Sterling scouted Ethan Page as a potential client, but Page repeatedly turned down his invitation. Page had been on a five-match winning streak before wrestling Sterling's client Tony Nese on the October 19 episode of ROH Honor Club TV, which he lost due to Sterling's interference. They would have a rematch a month later, where Sterling again tried to interfere but was ejected from ringside, allowing Page to win the match. However, when Page tried to display the "Code of Honor" to Nese via handshake, Nese attacked him and the two got into a pul-apart brawl. The following week, Sterling demanded one more match between Page and Nese at Final Battle from ROH Board of Directors member Jerry Lynn, which Page accepted. Lynn made it official and allowed for Sterling to be present at ringside on the condition he'd be handcuffed to the ring post. The contract signing for the match took place the week after, mediated by Tony Khan, where Sterling told Page that it would be an "I Quit" match. After Nese and Page signed the contract, Sterling threw protein powder into Page's eyes before Nese put him through a table. The match was then made official for Final Battle.
On the December 7 episode of ROH Honor Club TV, the Blackpool Combat Club's (BCC) Bryan Danielson and ROH Pure Champion Wheeler Yuta were part of a backstage segment. There, Danielson recalled his match at 2003's Final Battle against the late Jay Briscoe, the only singles match the two men ever had. He then recounted last year's Final Battle, where Jay had his final match, in which he and his brother Mark Briscoe defeated FTR (Cash Wheeler and Dax Harwood) in a Double Dog Collar match to win their record thirteenth ROH World Tag Team Championship. Ultimately, Danielson would challenge Mark and FTR to face the BCC (Danielson, Claudio Castagnoli, and Jon Moxley) in a Jay Briscoe Memorial six-man tag team match, which was made official.
Starting in mid-September, Athena became the mentor of Billie Starkz and Lexy Nair, with the latter pair becoming her 'minions' and forming the stable M.I.T.. However, it was clear that Athena favored Nair over Starkz, as the former consistently helped them win matches while the latter often took the fall when they lost. On the November 23 episode of ROH Honor Club TV, Starkz and Athena lost to Ronda Rousey and Marina Shafir, with Rousey submitting Starkz. On the following week's episode, Starkz redeemed herself after defeating Shafir before she proceeded to attack her after the match. Athena and Nair come out and feign that Nair and Starkz had graduated from "minion training," before Athena revealed that only Nair had graduated. Starkz then got upset and attacked Athena. Starkz then met Tony Khan backstage and requested a championship match with Athena, which Khan accepted. The match was then made for Final Battle.
Event + Other on-screen personnelRole:Name:CommentatorsIan Riccaboni Caprice Coleman Ring announcerBobby CruiseBackstage interviewerLexy Nair
Zero-Hour There were four matches that took place on the Zero-Hour pre-show. In the opener, Taya Valkyrie (accompanied by Johnny TV) faced Jazmin Allure. In the closing stages, Valkyrie delivered a big boot and a sliding German suplex to Allure. Valkyrie then performed a superplex and a foot stomp to Allure and pinned her to win.
Next, The Von Erichs (Ross Von Erich and Marshall Von Erich) faced The Outrunners (Truth Magnum and Turbo Floyd). In the closing stages, Marshall delivered clotheslines to Magnum and Floyd. Marshall and Ross then delivered a double hip toss to Magnum and then applied stereo Iron Claws to Magnum and Floyd, forcing The Outrunners to tap out. After the match, Kevin Von Erich came out to applaud his sons.
The next match was a Survival of the Fittest qualifying match contested between Bryan Keith and Jack Cartwheel. In the closing stages, Cartwheel delivered a standing moonsault for a two-count. Cartwheel then performed a neckbreaker and the Spiccoli Driver for a two-count. Keith then delivered a jumping knee and a Tiger Driver to secure the victory.
In the Zero-Hour main event, Daniel Garcia faced Blake Christian. In the closing stages, Garcia delivered a butterfly suplex to Christian. Christian then landed two backbreakers and a springboard forearm to Garcia for a two-count. Christian then landed a running Spanish Fly on Garcia for a nearfall. Christian then landed a 450° splash on Garcia for a nearfall. Garcia then locked in the Dragon Tamer on Christian, forcing Christian to submit.
Preliminary matches The pay-per-view opened with a AAA Mega Championship match between defending champion El Hijo del Vikingo and Black Taurus. In the opening stages, Taurus delivered a reverse slingblade, a crucifix driver and a pop-up Samoan Drop to Vikingo for a two-count. Vikingo then landed a spinning heel kick, an enzeguiri and a 450° headscissors on Taurus for a two-count. Vikingo then delivered a Canadian Destroyer and a twisting 450° splash to Taurus for a two-count. Taurus then performed an overhead belly-to-belly suplex and an avalanche gorilla press for a two-count. Vikingo delivered a crucifix driver, but Taurus responded immediately with a spear. Vikingo delivered a 630° Denton to Taurus on the outside. Taurus performed a discus lariat for a nearfall. As Taurus lifted Vikingo onto his shoulders, Vikingo countered it into a crucifix driver and performed a poison Rana, running corner double knees and a 630° senton to retain his title.
The next match was for the ROH World Six-Man Tag Team Championship contested between defending champions The Mogul Embassy (Bishop Kaun, Toa Liona and Brian Cage) (accompanied by Prince Nana) and TMDK (Kosei Fujita, Bad Dude Tito and Shane Haste). In the closing stages, Tito delivered a satellite DDT to Liona for a two-count. Haste attempted a brainbuster but countered it into a uranage and delivered a slingshot spear. Fujita delivered a slingshot dropkick to Kaun for a two-count. Tito delivered a Death Valley Driver to Cage, bur Cage then performed a pumphandle driver. Liona, Kaun and Cage then delivered an assisted powerbomb to Fujita, with Cage getting the pin.
The next match was an "I Quit" match between Tony Nese and Ethan Page, with "Smart" Mark Sterling handcuffed to the ring post. In the opening stages, Sterling attempted to throw powder into Page's eyes, but Page blocked and Sterling inadvertently threw the powder into Nese's eyes. Nese then delivered the Running Kneese to Page in the steel steps, but Page refuses to say I Quit. Nese then delivered another Running Kneese to Page in the steel steps. Page performed a springboard clothesline to Page from the guard rail and attempted to hit Page with a weight plate, but Page ducked. Nese then set up a pair of tables and attempted to send Page through them, but Page landed a rope-hung stunner and an Ace Crusher to Nese through the tables. Nese refused to quit. Page attempted an avalanche powerslam to Nese, but Nese countered it into a hurricarana. Nese then grabbed the keys to the handcuffs and released Sterling. Nese then attempted to hit Page with the weight plate until the returning Scorpio Sky appeared and attacked Sterling. Page then performed a running dropkick to Nese with Nese's hands stuck under the weight plate, allowing Page to deliver a DDT to Nese onto the plate. Page then hit Sterling with the weight plate and delivered the Ego's Edge to him. Nese then tied Page's hands behind his back and forced him to say I Quit, but Page responded with "Fuck You". Page then landed a big boot, allowing the referee to untie his hands. Page then smashed a chair into Nese's face and choked Nese with a chain. Nese then said "I Quit", thus ending the match and Page was declared the winner.
Next, Nyla Rose faced VertVixen. In the closing stages, VertVixen landed a double stomp. VertVixen attempted a jumping arm drag, but Rose impeded with a spinebuster for a two-count. Rose then performed a running knee strike and the Beast Bomb and pinned VertVixen to win the match.