6 Ups & 2 Downs From ROH Supercard Of Honor 2024

5. Billie Starkz Worked You All

Billie Starkz is just 19 years of age and already worked everybody in the building better than countless wrestlers double or triple her age. Deep into her Women's TV title tournament final against Queen Aminata, she attempted a senton. Aminata got her knees up in a routine counter - but that was the magic.

This spot looked familiar, even innocuous as a result, and it's rarely the head drops or the overtly dangerous looking moves that cause these distressing scenes. It’s always something routine that underscores how dangerous wrestling inherently is. Starkz looked panicked. Groans and a sense of fright blanketed the crowd. Murmurs of "Are they working here?" were volleyed in whispers, but respectfully, in case something had gone awry. When Doc Sampson stayed in the ring a bit too long, the sense of alarm grew. Starkz made it back to her feet, at which point it felt a bit more like an angle, but what an angle: she drew a shocked and very loud reaction for the ruse before choking Aminata out to win the title. The match will only be remembered for that moment, but it was really good prior to it.

Aminata is unreal - the force with which she unleashes her strikes is wonderful - and, until the full turn, Starkz was the ideal contrast. Aminata was the more powerful of the two, as she expressed throughout with a series of suplexes and killer knees throughout. The best action in wrestling makes you swear in disbelief as you watch it. Aminata's stuff elicited many a F*CK.

Starkz was plucky and resilient and game to take the risks she had to take against a far stronger opponent. She got the snot beaten out of her.

It was really good and loud and would have worked very well had it followed the usual underdog template, but that excellent twist elevated it even higher.

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Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!