Browsing: Dawn

Tonight’s Ring of Honor TV will feature a former WWE & WCW wrestler making his debut in addition to several other matches.

46-year-old Shannon Moore will take on Blake Christian as part of tonight’s show. Still active on the indies, the former WCW Hardcore Champion will look to make an impression.

After making her AEW debut in August, Isla Dawn returns to the Khan companies in her ROH debut alongside the Grizzled Young Veterans against opponents to be named.

Former MLW Tag Team Champions and ROH Six-Man Champion The Von Erichs will go heads-up against Griff Garrison & Kole Carter of the Frat House.

The aerial artist Sidney Akeem returns to ROH for the first time since last-December as he battles the veteran Alex Zayne.

Wheeler Yuta will look for his seventh straight ROH singles win as he takes on Oro.

The show is rounded out by Diamante vs. Aleah James.

**********

It’s Thursday night and you know what that means! Coming off of the real Thanksgiving weekend, it’s time to serve up a hot slice of Ring of Honor pie!

Sidney Akeem vs Alex Zayne

Akeem is a former Cirque De Soleil performer which is pretty cool. Zayne is very, very red. Also good, but somewhat different. Either way, both of these guys can fly so this should be fun.

Defying convention, the two locked up off the top. They spent a few minutes jumping over each other until Zayne started laying in some chops. Akeem backed up and they hit simultaneous dropkicks, then paused to admire one another.

Akeem hit a running post mule kick, but Zayne responded with a big boot. He threw a few elbows at Akeem, aiming to keep him off his feet. Zayne set Akeem up on the ropes and hit a summersault guillotine to knock him down.

Zayne wrapped Akeem’s leg around his and wrenched it and his wrist at the same time. Akeem fought out of it and sent Zayne to the ropes. Zayne anticipated it and when Akeem charged he hit him with a double knee.

Zayne fought back and hit a big crossbody from the top rope. He then hit a pumphandle elbow slam for a two count. Zayne got to his feet and paintbrushed Akeem before hitting a dropkick to his face. The two traded chops after that until Zayne sent Akeem to the corner for a ripcord hurricanrana.

Zayne went up top for a 450, but Akeem saw it coming and hit a spinning stunner to get the pin.

Match Result: Sidney Akeem defeated Alex Zayne

Perfectly cromulent match. It didn’t really do anything to show off either wrestler’s strengths and I don’t feel it advanced anyone closer to anything, but it wasn’t bad.

-Isla Dawn was interviewed in the back, but interrupted by Mark Sterling and the Premier Athletes. Sterling offered his services to Dawn who shut him down. GRV arrived and the two factions squared off, with the Athletes stepping back.

Mixed Six Person Tag Team Match: Grizzled Young Veterans (James Drake & Zack Gibson) & Isla Dawn vs Carolina Cruz, Gabriel Aeros & Javi

I was genuinely bummed when Dawn’s WWE run came to an end, so it’s great to see her in action here. The Vets make a good team for her and their opponents are also wrestlers.

Drake started off with Javi who did have a size advantage, but Drake was too fast for him. Gibson tagged in and the two double teamed Javi with Gibson wrapping it up with a dropkick from the second rope.

Cruz tagged in which brought in Dawn. The two exchanged a technical series and then Dawn hit and over hand suplex. Cruz hit a backspring elbow but Dawn kicked out at two. Cruz put on a headlock, but Dawn powered out of it with a hard lariat followed by a side suplex.

Aeros tagged in and Dawn gave him a shot for good measure before Drake tagged in. Gibson joined him and threw him at Aeros, then threw Dawn at him for good measure. Gibson and Drake rand the ropes delivering kicks and shots to Javi and Aeros all over the ring.

Dawn grabbed Cruz and locked in a reverse headlock while the veterans hit a High/Low on Aeros to get the pin.

Match Result: Grizzled Young Veterans & Isla Dawn defeated Carolina Cruz, Gabriel Aeros & Javi

After the match, the Premier Athletes jumped the Veterans and Story Denali hit a massive chokeslam on Dawn, spoiling her debut.

Diamante vs Aleah James

This doesn’t mean anything, but the ROH ring announcer really sounds like Howard Finkle this week and it is nice to hear.

Anyway, Diamante likes nothing more than to hurt people and James would like for that not to happen. Diamante had control off the top with a headlock which James reversed. Diamante jumped out of it and punched her in the face.

Diamante grabbed James’ arm and wrenched her to the mat. James flipped out of it though and charged Diamante in the corner, but no one was home. Diamante dropped a big elbow and tried for a pin, but James kicked out at two.

The two traded shots until Diamante started working the arm and shoulder of James, twisting and pulling on it to drag her down to the mat. James started laying shots into Diamante’s midsection so Diamante threw her into the corner.

Diamante lined her up for a charge, but James got her knees up. She hit a crossbody and then a fisherwoman’s suplex for a two count. James tried for another, but Diamante threw her off and hit a German suplex.

Diamante rolled her up, and then hit a bridge suplex for the 1-2-3 and the win.

Match Result: Diamante defeated Aleah James

There is kind of a strange vibe in ROH tonight. The crowd hasn’t been super loud and the matches seem a half step slower. It might just be me, but it definitely feels a little different. We’ll see if that keeps up.

Wheeler Yuta (w/Marina Shafir) vs Oro

Yuta and his hair came through the crowd, with Shafir following, being her usual cheery self. Oro was already in the ring, which did not bode well for the Nigerian-born wrestler.

Yuta went for a wristlock off the top, but Oro kicked it away. Yuta drove Oro into the corner and repeatedly pie faced him until Oro got mad and punched him in the face. Yuta tried an Ankle lock next, but Oro had enough and chopped him.

Oro hit a few arm drags and a spinning headscissor. He threw Yuta to the ground and went for the pin, but Yuta kicked out and started the chopping. Oro gave as good as he got, sending Yuta to the mat. Yuta backdropped Oro out of the ring and into the waiting arms of Shafir who hit a suplex on him on the outside.

Yuta joined them and sent Oro into the barricade with an Irish whip. He tossed Oro back into the ring and hit a clothesline from the top turnbuckle for another two count. Yuta hit a suplex and went up top again to drop a big elbow for another two count.

Oro popped up, but Yuta cut him off, sending him into the corner. Oro hit an around the world from the top and went for a spingboard, but missed and Yuta was able to hit a (right) angle slam. He began jamming elbows into the sholder of Oro before putting on a headlock.

Shafir stared off into the middle distance on the outside.

Oro threw punches into Yuta’s stomach and laid in a series of suplexes. The third was too many though and Yuta broke the chain, just in time to get hit by a cartwheel kick from Oro. He went for the in, but Yuta kicked out.

Yuta hit a hurricanrana into an armbar, wrenching Oro’s arm. Yuta hit a bridge suplex followed by a cattle mutilation. Oro managed to swing his legs around and reach the ropes to break the hold.

Oro charged and Yuta laid him out with a lariat. He went up top, but Oro knocked him off the ringpost and dove after him. Oro threw him back in the ring and hit a facebuster, but only got a two count. Yuta raked the eyes and hit a high knee, knocking Oro cold and getting the pin.

Match Result: Wheeler Yuta defeated Oro

Blake Christian (w/Lee Johnson) vs Shannon Moore

It is genuinely exciting to see the last remaining member of Three Count in an ROH ring. Though he seems more in his Nu Metal phase these days. Christian, as the cranky-half half of the worst-named tag team ever, has been on a tear recently, but Moore looks honestly terrifying.

Christian lured Moore in with an insincere Code of Honor and kicked him in the gut. Moore threw him into the corner, but Christian laid him out with a kick. Every time Moore landed a blow, Christian kicked him about it.

Moore found his flow with a couple of arm drags and hit a spinning heel kick. A back elbow staggered Christian and Moore hit a cross body for a two count.

Christian kicked Moore in the back of the head then sent him outside. Calling his shot, he went for a baseball slide, but Moore ducked and they fought on the outside until Johnson caused a distraction and Christian laid in a superkick.

Leaving Moore on the outside, Christian got back into the ring and shot a screwdriver dive at Moore before throwing him into the barricade. Christian then spent a few minutes strutting on the barricade before throwing Moore back in.

Christian stomped Moore’s knees from a half-surfboard position and hit a quick suplex off the ropes. Christian charged Moore in the corner, but Moore dodged and went up top for a corkscrew moonsault for a two count.

Moore started powering up, but Christian beat him to the top turnbuckle and headscissored him off. Moore charged, but Christian hit a powerslam that would make Dustin Rhodes proud. He sent Moore to the ring apron and Moore kicked him off and delivered a spingboard moonsault of his own.

Moore tossed Christian back into the ring and went up top. He hit a rolling neckbreaker from the top rope, but Christian kicked out at two. Johnson got up on the ring apron to distract the ref and Christian hit Moore right in the three counts with a low blow.

He locked in Vanilla Choke Zero and Moore was forced to tap out.

Somewhere, Tank Abbott wept.

Match Result: Blake Christian defeated Shannon Moore

Exclusive access to podcasts and newsletters

previous story

Source link

It was an interesting offseason for Dawn Staley.

The three-time national champion head coach of South Carolina was a candidate for the New York Knicks coaching job after Tom Thibodeau was fired in early June. She interviewed with the Knicks front office this summer, but New York decided to hire longtime NBA coach Mike Brown.

Advertisement

At SEC media days Tuesday, Staley was asked whether she expected a woman to be hired as an NBA head coach in her lifetime. She isnâ€t optimistic.

“I donâ€t,†Staley said. “And I hope Iâ€m wrong.â€

When interviewing for the Knicks position, Staley was appreciative that president Leon Rose and executive vice president William “Worldwide Wes†Wesley acknowledged the complications of hiring a female coach for the position. Unlike a traditional candidate, there would be heightened scrutiny for Staley and other women who find themselves in that position. An organization looking to make this type of hire needs to look at the process differently.

“Itâ€s not just hiring the first female coach,†Staley said. “Because one, if Iâ€m the Knicks coach and you have a five-game losing streak, itâ€s not going to be about the losing streak. Itâ€s going to be about being a female coach. So you as an organization and a franchise, you have to be prepared about that and strong enough to endure those types of instances when youâ€re a female coach.â€

Advertisement

Staley was also asked about her individual desire to be a trailblazer as a female head coach in menâ€s basketball spaces.

“Not really a whole lot,†Staley said. “I did the Knicks interview because Iâ€ve known Leon Rose for 30 years. I have a connection to him and Worldwide Wes. Iâ€ve known them all my life. It was a real interview, and I like to see what theyâ€re talking about.â€

In her response, Staley urged her colleagues to seek her advice when pursuing coaching opportunities in the NBA and menâ€s college basketball.

“If thereâ€s somebody thatâ€s interested in knowing and being the first female NBA coach, I got all the information,†Staley said. “Come see me because Iâ€ll get you prepared for the interview. If there are NBA franchises that are interested in hiring a female, Iâ€m here too because you have to be ready to take on that and all the things that come with it.â€

Advertisement

Staley now turns her attention to her 18th season at South Carolina. The Gamecocks are ranked No. 2 in the Associated Press preseason poll behind defending champion UConn. The program announced this week that All-America honorable mention Chloe Kitts will miss the entire season with a torn ACL.

This article originally appeared in The Athletic.

New York Knicks, South Carolina Gamecocks, NBA, WNBA, Sports Business, Women’s College Basketball, women’s college basketball

2025 The Athletic Media Company

Source link

• 

  Myron MedcalfOct 14, 2025, 02:31 PM ET

  Close

  Myron Medcalf covers college basketball for ESPN.com. He joined ESPN in 2011.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Dawn Staley said she is convinced that NBA teams might never be ready to hire a woman as a head coach after her recent experience with the New York Knicks.

Staley boasts one of the greatest coaching résumés in the history of basketball, which is why the Knicks interviewed her earlier this year before ultimately choosing Mike Brown as their new coach to replace Tom Thibodeau.

Staley said she was legitimately interviewed by the Knicks and entered the process with an open mind, but acknowledged that she doesn’t think the league is ready for such a historic hire.

“No, I don’t [believe it will happen in my lifetime],” Staley said Tuesday during SEC media day. “And I hope I’m wrong.”

Editor’s Picks

2 Related

Staley, 55, said she accepted the interview opportunity from the Knicks because she has known team president Leon Rose and senior adviser William “Worldwide Wes” Wesley for 30 years.

Staley, who revealed earlier this year that she would have taken the job if the Knicks had made an offer, said she emphasized in the interview process that the Knicks would have to be prepared to handle the scrutiny she would have endured if she had been hired as the first woman head coach in NBA history.

“If the Knicks have a five-game losing streak, it’s not going to be about the losing streak,” said Staley, a Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer who has won three national championships at South Carolina. “It’s going to be about being a female coach. So you as an organization, a franchise, you have to be prepared for and strong enough to ignore those types of instances when you’re going to look to hire a female coach.”

Although she said she doubts an NBA team will ever make that move, Staley said the process with the Knicks helped her learn more about the possibility, which can help future candidates and NBA teams.

“If there is somebody that is interested in knowing and interested in being the first female NBA coach, I’ve got all the information,” she said. “Come see me, because I’ll get you prepared for the interview.

“And if there are NBA franchises that are interested in hiring a female, I’m here, too, because you’ve got to be ready to take that on and all the things that it comes with because it’s not just about hiring the first female coach.”

Staley’s Gamecocks are ranked No. 2 in the Associated Press preseason Top 25 poll behind only defending champion UConn.

South Carolina announced this week that Chloe Kitts, an AP All-America honorable mention last season, will miss the entire year with a torn ACL. Staley said the injury is a major loss for the Gamecocks because Kitts is “irreplaceable,” but she also said the injury will not end the program’s title aspirations.

“We’re unafraid of going into season without [Kitts],” she said. “We’re not going to skip a beat. Our players know that when we sustain any kind of injury, we believe in the system that we put together. We believe in the players that we’ve assembled.”

Source link

Dawn Staley was ready for the challenge of the NBA and to leave South Carolina behind, the Gamecocks’ head coach…

Had the New York Knicks offered their head coaching job to South Carolina women’s coach Dawn Staley, who had a…