Jonathan Gresham defeated Jay Lethal in the main event of Final Battle 2021. The event represented the end of an era for Ring of Honor. The promotion is now moving forward without keeping any talent on contract. When the company announced its change in business plans, it also noted there are plans to hold a return event in April during WrestleMania week.
New ROH World Champion Jonathan Gresham spoke to Sports Illustrated recently and noted that it is up to him to keep the spirit of ROH alive.
“Final Battle was a night that was full circle for me,” Gresham says. “I spent a lot of time with the fans at ringside. There were so many people there I knew—from the independents, from seminars, fans from smaller independent shows, like NOVA Pro [in Virginia], guys that stayed on my couch during our travels—and everyone kept telling me they had to see me win the Ring of Honor title. I have enjoyed this entire ride, so all of that meant the world to me.”
“As champion, it is up to me to keep the spirit and the essence of Ring of Honor alive,” Gresham says. “I will preserve and protect Pure wrestling as Ring of Honor world champion.”
Gresham continued to say that he plans on making the Ring of Honor title the most important championship in wrestling. To do that, Gresham says, he has to wrestle CM Punk and Bryan Danielson.
“I am going to make this championship the best wrestling title in the world,” he says. “In order to do that, I need to wrestle two men who helped make the Ring of Honor title the best in the world: Bryan Danielson and CM Punk.”
Gresham is the 29th wrestler to win the ROH World Championship. His victory at Final Battle 2021 was the 36th title change in the championships lineage. Adam Cole is the only wrestler to win the title 3x. Jay Lethal has spent the most time as champion at 707 days. Samoa Joe holds the record for the longest single reign with the belt at 645 days.
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