Final Battle 2023 was a professional wrestling pay-per-view produced by Ring of Honor (ROH). It took place on December 15, 2023 at the Curtis Culwell Center in Garland, Texas. It was the 22nd event in the Final Battle chronology.
Production[]
Background[]
First held in 2002, Final Battle is regarded as the flagship event of ROH, taking place at the end of the year.
On October 18, 2023, it was announced by ROH that the 22nd Final Battle event would take place on December 15 at the Curtis Culwell Center in Garland, Texas.
Storylines[]
On the December 2 episode of Collision, Keith Lee was asked who he was referring to when he declared that he wanted to face "him". Before Lee could answer, he was interrupted by Shane Taylor, who had faced Lee in a tag team match at Final Battle 2022. Taylor would tell Lee that nothing had been solved between them before challenging Lee to a match at Final Battle. Lee accepted and the match was made official.
As Mark Sterling scouted Ethan Page as a potential client, Page faced Tony Nese, managed by Sterling, on the October 19 episode of ROH Wrestling. Nese would win the match thanks to interference from Sterling. Nese and Page faced off again on the November 23 episode of ROH Wrestling, which saw Page emerge victorious after Sterling was ejected. With Page and Nese set to compete in a rubber match, Sterling demanded to be at ringside, which was granted with the stipulation that Sterling be handcuffed to the ringpost. On the December 7 episode of ROH Wrestling, a contract signing between Nese and Page took place to confirm their bout at Final Battle, in which an "I Quit" stipulation was also added to the match.
On the November 8 episode of Dynamite, ROH World Television Champion Samoa Joe announced that he was relinquishing his title in order to concentrate his efforts on winning the AEW World Championship. On the November 16 episode of ROH Wrestling, ROH President Tony Khan announced that in order to crown a new champion, a Survival of the Fittest tournament would take place, with qualifying matches determining the competitors that would compete in the six way elimination final at Final Battle. On the November 30 episode of ROH Wrestling, Dalton Castle qualified by beating Evil Uno while Komander defeated Gringo Loco. The final qualifying matches took place on the December 7 episode of ROH Wrestling, which saw Lee Johnson, Lee Moriarty, and Kyle Fletcher qualify. It was announced the following week that the identity of the final competitor would be revealed at Final Battle.
On the December 7 episode of ROH Wrestling, Bryan Danielson of the Blackpool Combat Club (BCC) reminisced about his only singles match with Jay Briscoe, who had passed away on January 17, which took place at Final Battle 2003. Danielson further recalled Jay and Mark Briscoe's Double Dog Collar Tag Team Match against FTR (Cash Wheeler and Dax Harwood) at Final Battle 2022. In order to honour Jay, Danielson challenged Mark and FTR to a Six Man Tag Team Match against the BCC at Final Battle. The match was made official, with Danielson, Claudio Castagnoli, and Jon Moxley representing the BCC.
In the weeks leading up to Final Battle, Billie Starkz and Lexy Nair went through minion training under the guidance of ROH Women's World Champion Athena. On the November 30 episode of ROH Wrestling, Athena announced that Nair had graduated, but Starkz had not, much to the dismay of Starkz. After arguing between Starkz and Athena, Starkz would attack Athena and throw her into the barricade. Later, Starkz would request a title match against Athena, which was made official for Final Battle.
Results[]
- Numbers in parentheses indicate the length of the match.
- (c) refers to the champion(s) heading into the match.
- Pre-Show: Taya Valkyrie (w/Johnny TV) defeated Jazmin Allure (4:30)
- Pre-Show: The Von Erichs (Marshall Von Erich & Ross Von Erich) defeated The Outrunners (Truth Magnum & Turbo Floyd) (6:10)
- Pre-Show: Bryan Keith defeated Jack Cartwheel in a in a Survival of the Fittest ROH World Television Championship Eliminator Match (7:14)
- Pre-Show: Daniel Garcia defeated Blake Christian (12:16)
- El Hijo del Vikingo (c) defeated Black Taurus to retain the AAA Mega Championship (16:29)
- The Mogul Embassy (Bishop Kaun, Brian Cage & Toa Liona) (c) (w/Prince Nana) defeated TMDK (Bad Dude Tito, Kosei Fujita & Shane Haste) in a Six Man Tag Team Match to retain the ROH World Six-Man Tag Team Championship (12:03)
- Ethan Page defeated Tony Nese (w/Mark Sterling) in an "I Quit" Match (20:05)
- Nyla Rose defeated Vert Vixen (2:41)
- Kyle Fletcher defeated Bryan Keith, Dalton Castle (w/Brandon & Brent), Komander (w/Alex Abrahantes), Lee Johnson and Lee Moriarty in the Survival of the Fittest Final Six Way Elimination Match to win the vacant ROH World Television Championship (25:54)
- Wheeler Yuta (c) defeated Tom Lawlor to retain the ROH Pure Championship (13:11)
- Keith Lee defeated Shane Taylor (14:40)
- Blackpool Combat Club (Bryan Danielson, Claudio Castagnoli & Jon Moxley) vs. Mark Briscoe & FTR (Cash Wheeler & Dax Harwood) ended in a Double Count Out in a Fight To Honor Jay Briscoe Six Man Tag Team Match (18:51)
- Mark Briscoe & FTR (Cash Wheeler & Dax Harwood) defeated Blackpool Combat Club (Bryan Danielson, Claudio Castagnoli & Jon Moxley) in a Fight Without Honor Six Man Tag Team Match (10:46)
- Eddie Kingston defeated Anthony Henry in a Proving Ground Match (5:45)
- Athena (c) defeated Billie Starkz to retain the ROH Women's World Championship (28:30)
Other on-screen talent[]
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External links[]
| ROH Final Battle |
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| 2002 • 2003 • 2004 • 2005 • 2006 • 2007 • 2008 • 2009 • 2010 • 2011 • 2012 • 2013 • 2014 • 2015 • 2016 • 2017 • 2018 • 2019 • 2020 • 2021 • 2022 • 2023 |
| 2023 Ring of Honor Events |
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Supercard Of Honor • Death Before Dishonor • Final Battle |