"The She-Wolf" Hania The Howling Huntress vs. "The Exotic Goddess" Mandy Leon, ROH Wrestling #249 - Women of Honor Special, Nashville Municipal Auditorium, Nashville, TN, June 25, 2016 (taped February 6, 2016.)
We start with a well-done video package with the ladies introducing themselves to the fans and providing the needed backstory for this match.
Match starts with the obligatory Code of Honor handshake. They circle each other, Hania charges in a couple of times, Hania screams and they lock up in the center. Clean break in the middle. Another tie up and they take each other down to the mat. Back to their feet, Mandy grabs and twists Hania's arm, followed by a wristlock into a top wristlock. Hania escapes and turns it into a Hammerlock, as the commentators praise Hania's strength and athleticism. Mandy reverses it and spins out while holding onto Hania's wrist. Hania drops down, gets back up and applies a wristlock of her own. Mandy grabs the top rope and flips out of the hold. Mandy hits an armdrag takeover. The crowd applauds as Ian Riccaboni talks about how Hania might not have been expecting that. They tie up again and go into a test of strength. They seem pretty even, though Mandy comes closer to winning. Hania turns it into a Monkey Flip, with their hands still locked together. Both women are down and referee Dan Tanaka starts the count but they get their shoulders up at 2. They roll over so they are face to face. Back to their feet and back to the test of strength. Mandy hits a Monkey Flip of her own but they roll over so they are face to face again. Back to their feet, Mandy breaks out of it and gets a Full Nelson into a Hammerlock into a Headlock Takeover, which is excellent chain wrestling. It gets 1. Nigel McGuinness talks about how Delirious, Mandy's trainer (and now husband), had been schooling her on the technical points of the game. Hania escapes and hits a Headscissors counter. They get back up, Mandy charges at Hania but Hania locks on a side headlock. Back into the ropes and Mandy launches Hania across the ring. Hania comes off with a shoulderblock and howls. Hania into the ropes, Mandy drops down and Hania runs off the other ropes but gets caught by Mandy in an attempted hiptoss. Mandy takes Hania down with what Ian calls a "beautiful bridge" for 1. Hania counters with a crucifix rollup for 1. Hania charges in and kicks Mandy in the stomach. Ian says the ladies are evenly matched and Nigel says that they are impressing him with their technical abilities. Hania chops Mandy and pushes her against the ropes for more chops as Nigel says that they are seeing more aggression from Hania here. Then a whip into the ropes and Mandy comes off with a whirlybird headscissors. Hania retreats to the floor as the crowd claps for Mandy. Mandy goes out to the apron and runs toward Hania but Hania blocks the kick. Hania backs away as Mandy looks to be setting up for something back Hania trips her, sending Mandy down to the floor. Hania taunts Mandy and throws her into the barricade as we go to a commercial break. Out of the break, Mandy is back in the ring and Hania is on the apron and hits a springboard dropkick. It gets 2. Hania brings Mandy to her feet but Mandy counters with a jawbreaker as Nigel mentions Hania's six-pack abs and Ian praises her physical conditioning. Mandy climbs up top for the Leonsault, which was the move that she used to pin Hania in December 2015 in a tag match (Mandy and Sumie Sakai d. Hania and Deonna Purrazzo.) Hania stops her and gets Mandy on her shoulders but Mandy turns it into a Victory Roll for 2. Mandy into the ropes but Hania hits her Full Moon spinning heel kick for 2. Hania grabs Mandy by the chin and taunts her but Mandy responds with a hard forearm smash. Then a headbutt. Hania goes to the eyes. Mandy backs into the corner and Hania delivers a series of forearms as Ian says that Hania proved that she is willing to fight dirty in Nashville. Hania backs up into the other corner and charges in but Mandy sits up on the top turnbuckle and gets her feet up but Hania catches them. Mandy turns it into a headscissors and drives Hania's head into the second turnbuckle. Mandy drags Hania to the center of the ring and locks on her Havana Dreams neckbreaker hold. She holds it for a bit but then releases it. Hania collapses and Mandy goes for the pin. It gets 2. Hania gets up and retreats to a corner while Mandy goes to the opposite corner and starts stomping her foot. Mandy charges in and runs into a boot. Hania sits up on the top turnbuckle and tries to wrap her legs around Mandy's neck but Mandy stops it and chops Hania. Mandy climbs up to the second turnbuckle and looks to be going for a superplex but Hania fights out of it and pushes Mandy down. Mandy runs in and does her upside down headscissors to bring Hania down into the ring. Mandy goes up but Hania rolls out of the way of the Leonsault. Hania charges in and rolls up Mandy for 2. Hania goes for something but Mandy counters into a backslide for 1. Back to a vertical base, Hania knees Mandy in the stomach. Hania runs off the ropes, ducks Mandy's clothesline, and then, on the way back, they clothesline each other. Nigel says the ladies must be getting tired but that they have really impressed him with their abilities. They retreat to opposite corners and crawl over to each other. They get to their knees and start trading forearms, with Hania winning. Mandy headbutts Hania, and Hania fires off another forearm. Hania gets to her feet and kicks Mandy, and Mandy gives a "bring it on" signal. So Hania kicks her again. And again. Mandy gets to her feet and delivers a double thrust then a big elbow to the head. Mandy sends Hania to the corner and whips her to the opposite corner and follows with a clothesline. Then again to the opposite corner and Ian says that they are looking to win and establish a pecking order in Women of Honor. Then another cross-corner whip. Hania walks out of the corner and Mandy hits her with a bulldog. It gets 2. The ladies stagger to their feet. Back in the center of the ring, Mandy looks to be going for a vertical suplex but Hania escapes and delivers a jumping kick to the chest. Mandy retreats to the corner and Hania, who Nigel describes as "so dangerous", follows with another big kick. Hania grabs Mandy and sets up for Hanialation but Mandy counters and gets the upside down facelock herself and two more reversals but Hania knees Mandy in the face. Hania charges but Mandy hits a Flatliner and locks on a Koji Clutch but Hania grabs the rope to break the hold. Back up, Mandy goes for a Fireman's Carry but Hania escapes, and we get a slapfest. Hania runs off the ropes and Mandy hits her with the Splitslap. Hania retreats to the corner and Mandy charges in but Hania gets out of the way. Now Hania charges in, Mandy gets her feet up but Hania grabs them, sits Mandy on the second rope and pulls her down by her hair. Mandy gets up but Hania charges in and hits the Eclipse double-knee facebuster for the pin! ****
Really good match for both ladies. You can see it here.