Final Battle marked the end of a triumphant year for Ring of Honor following Tony Khan’s purchase of the company in the spring and perhaps nothing had encapsulated what ROH is about in 2022 more than the feud between FTR and The Briscoes.
The rivalry began at April’s Supercard of Honor when FTR unseated The Briscoes to become ROH Tag Team Champions for the first time in their career. Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler already held the AAA Tag Team Championship and later in 2022 they also added the IWGP Tag Team Title to their collection.
The Briscoes are now 13-times ROH Tag Team Champions
The two teams met again at Death Before Dishonor in a two-out-of-three falls match that FTR won by two falls to one. Both of these bouts were critically acclaimed, receiving five stars a piece from Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer.
Just days before Final Battle on the 10th of December, FTR was informed by The Gunns that they would be meeting The Briscoes once again with the ROH Tag Team Title on the line at the event in a Double Dog Collar match to cap off the trilogy.
The match was bloody and violent from the get-go with all the competitors shedding blood during the bout as well as referee Mike Posey who was busted open during the melee. In the end, The Briscoes came out on top as Harwood was choked with the chain connecting him to Jay Briscoe.
After the match, FTR received a standing ovation for their efforts but that was cut short by Austin and Colten Gunn who attacked the pair. The Briscoes returned to see The Gunns off and helped their opponents up before all four men rightly took the adulation of the crowd for their efforts.
Final Battle proved to be a big night for title changes as the ROH Pure Title changed hands when Wheeler Yuta defeated Daniel Garcia and the ROH World Championship found its way back around the waist of Claudio Castagnoli as he defeated Chris Jericho in the main event.