Ring of Honor broke new ground at their latest event, witnessing something that had never happened in the company’s storied history. For the very first time, the ROH Men’s World Championship was defended in a Survival of the Fittest match format, with Bandido successfully retaining his gold against five hungry challengers in what became a night of shifting alliances and jaw-dropping athleticism.
Championship Stakes Meet Survival Format
The historic bout featured a loaded field of competitors: defending champion Bandido, AEW’s Sammy Guevara, powerhouse Beast Mortos, high-flying Komander, athletic Blake Christian, and veteran technician Hechicero. What made this match particularly intriguing wasn’t just the championship implications, but the web of alliances that had formed heading into the contest.
Earlier in the evening, Guevara and Mortos had captured the vacant ROH Tag Team Championships with an assist from Hechicero, cementing their three-man alliance. Meanwhile, champion Bandido found his partner in the spectacular Komander, leaving Blake Christian as the lone wolf in this pack of predators.
Alliances Crumble as Chaos Erupts
The action spilled to ringside immediately, with everyone except Christian taking their fight to the floor. When the former PWG standout finally entered the fray, he found himself targeted by the Hechicero-Mortos tandem before trading shots with Guevara.
Christian’s Spanish Fly on Guevara showcased his impact ability, but Mortos quickly answered with a devastating slingblade and gut wrench combination. The temporary celebration by La Facción Ingobernable (LFI) and Hechicero was short-lived, as the Mexican trio turned on their ally Hechicero in a classic wrestling double-cross.
High-Flying Spectacle Takes Center Stage
What followed was a masterclass in aerial warfare that only ROH can deliver. Bandido’s tornillo wiped out multiple opponents before Komander used his partner’s shoulders as a launching pad for his own dive. The champion wasn’t done, carrying Hechicero across the ring before launching into another dive that took out three competitors.
Bandido’s Fosbury Flop on Mortos drew gasps from the crowd, but the real story was the growing tension between the allied champions. The inevitable staredown between Bandido and Komander hinted at the fragile nature of their partnership, though they temporarily refocused on Blake Christian.
Eliminations Begin to Shape the Endgame
The elimination phase began with Komander’s hurricanrana on Hechicero before the masked star set his sights on his own partner. Guevara’s interruption led to a double-team situation that resulted in his elimination, marking the first major casualty of the match.
Beast Mortos found himself in an impossible situation, fending off Komander, Christian, and Hechicero simultaneously. Despite his power advantage, the numbers game proved too much. Komander’s poisonrana stunned the big man, setting up Bandido for the elimination.
Championship Chaos in the Final Moments
The closing sequence showcased the unpredictable nature of multi-man competition. Christian’s innovative use of both Komander and Bandido as human launching pads for his Destroyer demonstrated the creative offense that makes these matches special. Hechicero capitalized on the chaos to pin Mortos, but his attempts to eliminate both remaining challengers were thwarted by Christian’s strategic interference.
In a moment that perfectly encapsulated the complex dynamics at play, Blake Christian actually prevented Hechicero from eliminating Bandido, keeping the champion’s title reign alive while positioning himself for a potential victory.
Historic Defense Sets New ROH Precedent
Bandido’s successful retention marks more than just another title defense—it establishes a new championship tradition in ROH. The Survival of the Fittest format, typically used to determine number one contenders, proved to be an electrifying way to showcase championship-level competition.
The match highlighted each competitor’s unique strengths while telling multiple stories simultaneously. From the LFI betrayal of Hechicero to the gradual breakdown of the Bandido-Komander alliance, every moment served the larger narrative while delivering the athletic excellence ROH fans demand.
With this historic precedent now set, one has to wonder: will we see more ROH championships defended in elimination-style matches, and which current storylines might benefit from this chaotic yet compelling format?