[7.0] "I was looking forward to this one after seeing Lee vs Blue Panther and it did not disappoint. Very slow, but somehow one of the shorter matches on the show. this company lol"
[8.0] "A really good pure rules match, I think this is my favourite stipulation in all of wrestling. Lee Moriarty is certainly one of the most overlooked worker in the world right now. I'm glad to say that I just discovered Xelhua and I really want to see more from him. They really told a good story."
[8.0] "It's been wonderful to watch Lee Moriarty figure out his approach to the Pure Rules match, growing into the assignment and here, producing his best title defence yet. He shines incredibly bright here, spotlighting all the qualities that allowed him to jump off the page before being signed. Perhaps most impressively, he's still able to unlock his challenger too, with Xelhua making a great impression in Philly. This is packed with focused, thoughtful touches, pairing a refreshing attention to detail with sharp, slick action throughout. ****"
[10.0] "Impressive that this was probably the 4th best match on the ROH PPV and was still so damn good. That's the benefit of TK just throwing a bunch of cool random stuff on the show because who knows what's happening on ROH weekly TV, right? Anyway, this was not Xelhua's first US appearance but even so I'm guessing it was the first time seeing him for a lot of fans. The 21 year old luchador has quickly shown some truly brilliant ability at the lucha libre brand of technical wrestling. It's only natural he could challenge Moriarty for the Pure title. Lee Moriarty... he's really got something I think, certainly in ring skills. I can't help but feel there's some missing piece that will really help his star take off, but I do love watching him get down on the mat and wrestle in the meantime. This was full of clever counters and smart wrestling, the kind I deeply enjoy, and I was impressed how they worked the unique Pure Rule rope break rule into the finish, as Xelhua went to the ropes literally one times too many and Moriarty was able to snap him up in a rope assisted submission that Xelhua could not escape. Could Moriarty have won if Xelhua had been better prepared for the unusual rules of the match? Perhaps we'll find out sometime. Anyway, this was fantastic stuff in my book."
[8.0] "I definitely think I am a fan of pure rules matches and this was no exception. Brilliant counters and chain wrestling throughout which got me really invested and I definitely want to see more of both of these guys."
[9.0] "I was really excited for this one after seeing Xelhua's performance at ACTION DEAN~! 2 in the cibernetico, and he did not disappoint. Lee Moriarty really makes the Pure Rules his own, and shows the strengths of this match type. Great Submissions and Counters all around, this was a fun time. Four and a Half Stars out of Five."
[9.0] "Another great defense for Moriarty, one where his opponent could match his technical prowess but wasn't as comfortable within the Pure Rules; I always get excited for the inevitable third rope break and how they work that into the finish, and while this was a standard setup the Octopus Stretch turned into tying him into the ropes for the finish was sick and reminiscent of the Moriarty/Panther finish. Before that though, there was just a ton of really smooth chemistry between these guys pulling out great submissions and surprising moves that hit the opponent from different angles (that one move from Xelhua that looked like a package DDT and ended up being an inverted Bubba Bomb kicked ass). I was ready to gush about this as a MOTYC but honestly I think this needed maybe 3-5 more minutes given their pace, and so I'd put it a bit below the Blue Panther defense. I'd love to see a rematch, possibly in Arena Mexico. ****+"
[9.0] "Wow. Lee Moriarty's reigning as a pure champ has been amazing and so entertaining, he was able to show how good as a wrestler he became and will be even more when TK finally have the guts to push him into the moon. At any other circunstances, Xelhua match would be very underwhelming for the crowd reception, but ROH had been feed with so many lucha libre that the crowd already felt in home watching a guy like him. And what a guy, huh? Amazing bout, truly amazing. Second best of the entire night."
[8.0] "This was a good match, with the young Xelhua impressing me. These guys worked the Pure Rules match greatly, playing into the finish of the match. This felt like a battle."
[6.0] "Probably one of the weaker Pure Rules Matches I've seen lately but that's mostly due to Xelhua. I just don't think he worked this style particularly well. The match had good elements that are exclusive to the match type like Xelhua losing to a submission because he burned all his rope breaks but this match didn't have the urgency I expected from a pure rules match. It's a match best when its constant wrestling one ups and Lee Moriarty felt like he had to hold back because it wasn't his opponents wheel house. Still had good moments like Moriarty manipulating Xelhua into using a closed fist but overall it's not the most noteworthy match on the card"
[8.0] "This match was my introduction to Xelhua. WOW was this fun to watch. Technical wrestling isn't always my thing but these two put together some really addictive sequences. Easy 9.0 had it gone slightly longer, so really its around an 8.7."
[6.0] "This disappointed me considering the two talents in the match, I guess the Pure rules of this match ruined it and kept it from going to the next level. I hope they can run it back someday, I'm sure both guys can do much better."
[6.0] "Decent, but the PURE rules don't really convince me once again. I appreciate the effort to create original situations with these rules, but it's not a fighting style that particularly appealed to me. In-ring quality: 1.5/4. Stakes: 1.25/2. Justification: 1/1. Place on the card: 1/1. Suspense: 0.75/1. Bonuses/penalties: none. Total: 6.5/10. Match seen on the ROH YouTube channel."
[6.0] "I'm using the translation function so it might be hard to understand. It was a good game, but it didn't really resonate with me that much.I liked the classic look of Xelhua.Can I say more? It was a decent match. It's not a match worth talking about."
[7.0] "Another impressive pure tile defense from Moriarty. The highlight for me is Lee Moriarty's tactical and strategic performance, as he came across as much more calculated; for example, he'd place Xelhua near the ropes to make him exhaust the rope breaks after inflicting damage. He also added other neat touches that I enjoy that he often employs in his matches, like utilizing heelish diversionary tactics to get away with things that in the context of a pure match would be illegal, and his strategic limb work was great too. Xelhua's technicality and physicality were impressive, and he had a good showing, although his presence and role were a bit hampered, not a fault of his own but by how much of a babyface Lee came across as at times; it was almost like Lee was trying to ride a very fine line between the face and heel roles that wasn't fully balanced. I do have a bit of a nitpick with the pacing, where there are times when things felt like they were climbing in physicality, then they'd halt, and you felt it in the atmosphere, but their technical work remained very strong, so it did not reduce much of the bouts' quality. There are two moments in this match where they felt like they correlated to each other; either that or they just unintentionally complemented one another. The first one being that Xelhua got carried away with the crowd's response to his head scissors takeover, to which he pandered to them by continuing to do it, which ultimately cost him. And I felt from a character standpoint it showed that emotionally he gets carried away, so later on when Moriarty punched him as the ref's attention was diverted while he broke them apart, Xelhua got emotionally carried away by punching Moriarty in front of the ref, which cost him. Not sure if it was intentional character work or a happy accident, but I thought it was fantastic. ***1/2"
[10.0] "Wow. Just WOW! What a terrific match! Sixteen minutes of Pure Rules perfection. Xelhua delivers a lot of creative and innovative offense (he said on twitter he creates some of his submissions, so now I'm even more impressed! ), while Lee is phenomenal at showing pain and selling, a master of immersive wrestling, but his attacks don't fall behind either. He's always so smart when on offense, and can get real cocky while dominating. He even pulls a cheap shot, which triggers Xelhua into receiving a warning, using perfect dirty tactics, his mind and strategy constantly giving him the advantage in Pure Rules. Lee then starts targeting Xelhua's fingers and arm, working them over brilliantly throughout the match. I especially loved the moment in the corner before the Alabama Slam, where Lee chooses to kick the arm instead of anything else, going after the spot where he could inflict the most damage. Following that, Lee shows agility and athleticism by hitting three dives, coupled with great crowd work, though the last one costs him momentum as he's caught by the impressive power of Xelhua, who's ready to submit him right there on the outside. The Mexican giant responds with some nasty, vicious chops. Back in the ring, Moriarty keeps targeting the arm, dishing out enough punishment to force a second rope break from his opponent. Xelhua fires back, pushing the champ to his limits. He's always so inventive and kept surprising me the entire time. He fires the champion up to the point where even a pinfall seems like the way to retain the title, which ends up costing the challenger his final rope break. Once again, Xelhua tries to take control. His mind is on another level, a true genius of the sport, but ultimately his body gives out and can't keep up with his mind. The arm can't connect the hold, and that spells doom for Xelhua. Once again, Taigastyle's strategy works perfectly, and with nowhere for his opponent to run, Lee uses the rules to his favor, forcing his opponent to tap with the assistance of the ropes. What a fantastic pro wrestling match."
[8.0] "As someone who attended the dodgy af ECW Arena a couple of times back in 1996, the tepid gentrification of the place along with the softening of the notoriously fierce Philly indie crowd is really sad to behold. Old man gripes aside, this was a wonderfully distinctive bout in the day & age of cookie cutter clashes and the finish capped it perfectly ***3/4"
[8.0] "This was really good. Enjoyable technical wrestling and a showcase of why Lee Moriarty is so good. This was the first time I saw Xelhua wrestle and I very much enjoyed his throwback technical wrestling that was rather enjoyable to watch. More of this please."
[7.0] "A bit hampered by Moriarty's most baby-face tendencies (the dude just comes off as genuine and likeable, even when he's spend most of the match being out done, cheap in the ways he gets control and vicious when he has it; but the three consecutive dives don't help), and by Xelhua selling not going all the way (his arm not being able to sustain the pressure of applying a hold is what leads to his loss, but when on offense that's the first sight of even hesitation when the arm was worked over much before). Other than that, good stuff."
[8.0] "This was great. Awesome mat work and submission work between these two including a lot of very innovative holds from Xelhua. Lee was great as the heel here, viciously attacking Xelhua's arm and baiting him in order to get him to use his rope breaks. Xelhua's selling was a bit iffy at times but it didn't take away from the match too much. Great stuff overall. ****"
[6.0] "Lee Moriarty vs. Xelhua was a good match for stipulation that this kind of match requires. These type of matches are usually hit or miss for me."
[9.0] "Like a big old told of pure 100% crack cocaine. They should make these lads wrestle on every ROH special and give me that sweet sweet hit. This was just excellent wrestling. I want to see what it looks like they when they have even more experience. This is the kind of match that ROH should be delivering."
[8.0] "Lee Moriarty's match was next, and honestly, it blew the last few matches out of the water for me. From the opening bell, you could tell this was going to be a showcase. Moriarty came out calculating, using crisp strikes and chain wrestling to control the pace, while his opponent responded with some explosive counters that had the crowd roaring. I loved the way the match told a story. Moriarty had a few tense moments on the ropes where it looked like he might get caught, and the near falls were fantastic--I was genuinely on the edge of my seat. There was one sequence where he hit a running knee into a snap suplex that got a huge reaction, and later, a perfectly timed submission attempt had the audience buzzing with excitement. The finish felt earned and impactful. Moriarty locked in a tight armbar after a clever setup, forcing his opponent to tap out. It wasn't just a win--it showcased his skill, intelligence, and timing perfectly. Overall, I walked away impressed. The pacing, storytelling, and high spots were all on point. Moriarty looked dominant, his opponent got plenty of shine, and the match left the crowd--and me--fully satisfied. Definitely one of the stronger bouts of the night for me."
[8.0] "[3.75*] Fantastic Pure Rules match, this was actually straight-up better than Nigel vs Zack. Of course the other match receives some nostalgia + "dream match" points, but the actual action here was just better. More technical, smarter and more fluid. I think the biggest difference is that the other felt like a great exhibition match, while this one felt like they were really trying to inflict damage on each other. The llaves looked stiffer, the limb-work was more intense. It was just incredible. I shouted "ouch" a couple of times here, this is what I want from my Pure Rules matches. A fantastic showing for Xelhua and the best way for him to present himself in a crowd that didn't know him. This fucking ruled and both of these guys are mad talented."
[9.0] "Yeah this was so fucking good to watch. Two incredible technical wrestlers went at it and it was so good to watch as we got two men who fully understand how to use the pure rules to make a compelling and watchable match. First time i have ever seen Xelhua wrestle and i hope he is used more in ROH as he was fucking incredible (the fact he is 21 and already this good is cray) and he had so much good and unique creative offence it was amazing that hold where he had his feet wrapped around Lee and and spun on his head to get them on the floor into a submission was fucking amazing, he also really understood how to pace the match which meant it was a great watch and i bit on the falls where i thought he might of stolen it. Lee Moriarty for my money is the most underrated wrestler on the planet right now. The way he bends and uses the pure rules to his advantage are just great to watch he also has an amazing deep bag of holds and is a great striker and has some great dives as seen in this match the submission in the ropes for the finish was also great. He needs to be on AEW more and i need Lee VS ZSJ more than oxygen at his point. Overall another excellent match for Lee in his amazing title reign and Xelhua has made me buy into him and want to see him more so all in all this was great. (****1/2)"
[8.0] "I think I liked this even more on the second watch, you see see Lee Moriarty using every rule to his advantage in these matches, using a closed fist strike while the ref's back is turned to goad Xelhua into hitting one himself and Moriarty purposely locking in submissions near the ropes to get Xelhua to waste one of his rope breaks. Lee's working of the arm was also very well done here, and Xelhua did a good job of working through it while still doing great technical work. The match also showed Lee Moriarty getting more desperate and losing focus as Xelhua continues to come back and counter his offense with submissions I've never seen before. The ultimate conclusion of the match being Moriarty locking in a border city stretch in the ropes once Xelhua had no ropes breaks left was also very nice. Two guys under 30 who have more in-ring IQ than most people today"
[8.0] "Great technical showcase here. Moriarty is underutilized in AEW. This was my first time seeing Xelhua I was impressed. Love the use of the rope break rule on the finish."
[9.0] "Hell yeah! This is wrestling! Two of the present and future greats, absolutely impressive. Lee Moriarty deserves this 400+ day reign, for sure, one of the best wrestlers of 2025 and demonstrated it once more."
[9.0] "So many people don't know the immense talent that is Lee Moriarty. My favourite technical wrestler in the world right now. He can't miss in these pure matches. Once he hits AEW TV it's over for everyone. Taigastyle kicks ass"
[9.0] "This match was an excellent demonstration of technical wrestling, very creative and dynamic. My problem with this match is that I don't understand how Xelhua lost! He showed himself to be much stronger in the exchange of holds and punishments. I think he spent his last rope break in an unbelievable way."
[8.0] "Good technical wrestling from 2 of the best in the world at it, Lee moriarty continues a legendary run with the ROH pure championship, the highlight of every Roh undercard is the pure championship match and this is yet another one, I love that they keep telling the story that Lee is making all his Opponents use all 3 rope breaks so he can use the border city stretch between the ropes to win the match."
[8.0] "I thought this was an exceptional Pure Rules match, really beautiful work from both Xelhua and Lee Moriarty. The match built effectively, with some great technical wrestling and brilliant basics displayed really well. Moriarty submitted Xelhua for the win in a match which went the perfect length for my money, this was so enjoyable and a great showcase for both men. Well worth a watch."
[9.0] "Pure rules matches are a bit difficult to watch as there are few wrestlers who have the skills necessary to make a functional match. Luckily for Lee Moriarty, he had a partner who knew how to take the pace of the match to another level. Xelhua brings a lot of creativity and technique to this match. Personally, I think he should have won."
[7.0] "Another really good Pure Rules match on the show. Moriarty's confidence and has been getting his groove back. Xelhua's style is throwback lucha and is incredible. Just his movement is very enjoyable. Very solid match and I hope we get another one soon. ***1/4"
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