Ring of Honor (ROH) has revealed the first participants to take part in their recently announced tournaments for the ROH Pure Championship and ROH Women’s Championship. The Pure Championship tournament will consist of 16 wrestlers, two of whom will be Jonathan Gresham and former Pure champion Doug Williams.
Pure Championship
The Pure Title Tournament begins at ROH Pure Excellence Night One, which takes place in Columbus, Ohio on Friday, April 10th. The tournament continues on Night Two on April 11th in Pittsburgh. The quarterfinals are set for ROH Battlestarr 2020 in New York City on Thursday, April 23rd. At the time of writing, there is no further information on when the semifinals and finals will go down.
The Pure championship was retired back in 2006 after its debut in 2004. For those unfamiliar, Pure Rules matches allow close-first punches. Wrestlers are allowed three rope breaks to force a break to a submission hold or pinfall attempt. Once a wrestler has used their three breaks, however, pinfalls and submissions on or under the ropes are legal.
•Pure Title Tournament•
Tournament to crown ROH Pure Champion begins at #PureExcellence in Columbus, OH on April 10 and Pittsburgh, PA on April 11.
Regarding the ROH Women’s Championship, both Kellyanne and Sumie Sakai will be participating. Like the Pure tournament, the Women’s Championship is a 16-woman bracket. Eight first-round matches will take place on Friday, April 24th at the upcoming ROH Quest for Gold event at the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia.
•Quest For Gold•
ROH Women’s World Title Tournament #QuestForGold begins in Philadelphia April 24th at the 2300 Arena!
Bullet Club’s Tama Tonga has shared his thoughts on Ring of Honor’s (ROH) current “transitional phase.” Tonga, who is one half of the current IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Champions alongside Tonga Loa, spoke about ROH and their new booker, Marty Scurll, during an interview with Wrestling Inc. Daily.
“ROH went through some changes in the past year and that happens with every company. They’re just in a transitional stage. I can’t knock them for that as it happens with every company,” Tonga said. “They have great talent and they were fun to work with. They’re hard-working guys and they have a good crew. If they stick with the guns they have, I think they’re gonna have a nice period out of the transitional period they just came out of.”
Tama Tonga Praises Marty Scurll
Turning his attention to his former Bullet Club stablemate, Marty Scurll, Tonga praised Scurll’s business skills. He noted how Scurll has a “good mind for wrestling.”
“You can expect new ideas and a new style. Change is always good for anything and I think people will see this,” he said. “I think they just did an event called Free Enterprise and I’ve heard good things. From the looks of things, they look promising so it’s a good start.”
Tama Tonga and Tonga Loa are scheduled to defend their IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championships against Kota Ibushi and Hiroshi Tanahashi at New Japan Road. The event takes place on February 21st from Korakuen Hall in Tokyo.
Ring of Honor World Champion PCO has praised Matt Hardy, offering the current RAW Superstar an ROH Championship match over Twitter. PCO’s words come following an interaction between Hardy and a fan online.
Hardy noted how he has great respect for PCO and his recent accomplishments. He highlighted the champion’s “creative, out of the box content” and current character. Hardy stressed that PCO deserves props for his resilience and longevity in the industry.
Seeing his kind words, PCO responded, writing:
“Thanks to @MATTHARDYBRAND who broke through the darkness of creativity and enlightenment creating so much positivity to our industry, Say the word ! PCO the @ringofhonor World Champion with his Creator D.Destro VS Matt Hardy The Match that will POP the entire WORLD”
Thanks to @MATTHARDYBRAND who broke through the darkness of creativity and enlightenment creating so much positivity to our industry, Say the word ! PCO the @ringofhonor World Champion with his Creator D.Destro VS Matt Hardy The Match that will POP the entire WORLD ?
Hardy replied to the championship opportunity, thanking PCO for the offer and noting how the “proposition sounds positively delightful!”
Matt Hardy In Limbo
With Matt Hardy’s WWE contract reportedly expiring at the end of March, there is substantial fan debate and speculation over where he will go next.
Although Hardy has previously wrestled in Ring of Honor, many believe he will be joining All Elite Wrestling. It is thought he will be revealed to be the Exalted One that is frequently referenced by the Dark Order.
Hardy has teased his farewell in WWE alongside cryptic messages on social media and videos on YouTube. Last week on RAW, Hardy was brutally assaulted by Randy Orton. They are slated to face off against each other this Monday night. They clash in a No Holds Barred match.
Ring of Honor star Flip Gordon has opened up about Marty Scurll’s increased responsibilities with the promotion. Scurll, who is the leader of Villain Enterprises, recently signed a new contract with ROH which saw him become co-booker alongside Delirious.
Speaking with Wrestling Inc. Daily, Gordon addressed Scurll’s new role, praising the business acumen that saw him become a part of ROH’s booking team.
“Marty is a very good businessman and I think whatever position he’s put in, he’s gonna thrive. He’s one of the most creative people I’ve ever met and he’s gonna do wonders. Give him a chance and I think you’re gonna be very proud of him,” said Gordon. “Look what he’s done with Villain Enterprises – that’s just on a microlevel. Now he’s got a whole company.”
Flip Gordon On Villain Enterprises Recent Record
Reflecting on his position with Villain Enterprises as their resident “Mercenary,” Gordon confessed that he’s lucky to be a part of the stable, especially as he’s been fired once before.
“I’m surprised I didn’t get fired for losing to Nick [Aldis] this past weekend,” said Gordon. “Marty’s not happy. Since the new year we haven’t been doing that hot. We haven’t won very many matches, I mean I’ve won a few. He’s not in the best of moods. I don’t know if he’s gonna wanna to add a member now.”
Despite their lack of victories, the stable can boast one major win: PCO becoming the new ROH World Champion. The 52-year-old defeated Rush for the title back at ROH’s Final Battle event in December.
Addressing the victory for PCO and, subsequently, Villain Enterprises, Flip Gordon said “I think it’s great he’s world champion and it’s his time. It was a long road to the top of that mountain and he absolutely deserves it. He’s a legend and by him being World Champion, Villain Enterprises is World Champion.”
Ring of Honor has announced plans to replace the Women of Honor Championship with the Ring of Honor Women’s World Championship. The promotion will begin a tournament starting on April 24th.
ROH Quest for the Gold will take place April 24th, 2020 from Philadelphia’s famed 2300 Arena.
“To emphasize ROH’s commitment to women’s wrestling, a new Ring of Honor Women’s World Championship has been created. This title will replace the Women of Honor Title and carry the utmost prestige as only the best competitors will earn its gold,” an ROH press release for the tournament reads.
TOURNAMENT TO CROWN ROH WOMEN'S WORLD CHAMPION BEGINS AT QUEST FOR GOLD IN PHILADELPHIA APRIL 24TH!
“Quest For Gold” tickets go on sale Feb. 19 at 10 a.m. ET for HonorClub members and Feb. 21 at 10 a.m. ET for the general public. pic.twitter.com/kQASkiBeE1
ROH Women’s World Championship To Replace WOH World Championship
A tournament to determine the first-ever WOH World Champion began in early 2018. Sumie Sakai would defeat Kelly Klein in the finals to become the inaugural holder of the title.
Klein is a 3x holder of the title but was officially stripped of the belt on January 1st, 2020 due to her departure from the company.
ROH World Champion PCO re-signed with the company late last year. He defeated Rush for the promotion’s top belt at the Final Battle PPV on December 13th, 2019. The 52-year-old recently spoke to Vulture Hound about why he chose to re-sign with the company.
“I think to go to a big company, be the Champion, be something big. It’s already done. It’s already there. I think to become Champion with the company itself and being the Champion and then help the company make it as big as WWE. I think that’s a very challenging goal.”
PCO also talked about having negotiated with 3 different companies at the end of 2019. He also mentioned what it was about ROH’s pitch to him that got him excited to re-sign.
“I had talks with three companies before I decided to sign with Ring of Honor, they flew me to Baltimore, they showed me what Sinclair broadcast group was like, 217 TV stations, the businesses that they own, the money that they were ready to inject into Ring Of Honor. When they did the 17th-anniversary show in Las Vegas, they showed they have been going around for 17 years.”
According to PCO, ROH wants to grow into a much larger wrestling company.
“Maybe before they didn’t want to be underwater, didn’t want to compete with the number one company in the world but I felt that, when I had my meeting with them, I felt that we really wanted to go big, to become like something like WWE, and in my dream, when I wanted to become Hulk Hogan, I wanted to help pop the territory, take it and make it explode. That’s why I decided to go with Ring Of Honor.”
Villain Enterprises’ resident Mercenary, Flip Gordon, has broached the idea of Villain Enterprises and Bullet Club forming an alliance. Gordon will be in attendance at Bullet Club’s upcoming Beach Party where he will compete against Tama Tonga in a flip cup tournament.
Speaking to Wrestling Inc. Daily, Gordon confessed how he dreamed of being a part of Bullet Club, especially as he had so many friends within their ranks. He highlighted how Villain Enterprises’ leader, Marty Scurll, was even a member of Bullet Club at one point before adding, “Can’t we be friends with them? I don’t know. But I’m also the mercenary and money talks.”
Flip Gordon On Backstage Interactions
Bullet Club members Tanga Loa and Tama Tonga have previously wrestled on the same ROH cards as Flip Gordon and Villain Enterprises. Despite having the opportunity to cross paths backstage, Gordon admitted that the two factions generally stay away from one another.
“We actually kinda keep our distance. The Bullet Club and Villain Enterprises, we don’t share the same locker room,” revealed Gordon. “We’re not walking by and giving each other hugs. We’re respectful and say ‘hi’ and ‘bye’ when we see each other in passing, but we’re not buddy buddy.”
Flip Gordon is scheduled to compete against Slex. The two face off this Sunday at ROH’s Free Enterprise event.
The Briscoe Brothers aren’t going anywhere. Mark and Jay Briscoe have revealed via Twitter that they have officially re-signed with Ring of Honor (ROH). Leaning against a pickup truck, the two discuss their contract status with ROH:
“Y’all probably don’t know this, because we don’t really talk about this type of s—. But our ROH deals are up in just a couple of months. And now everybody is wanting to know ‘what’s next?’” Jay said.
He noted how they have done it all as a team in the promotion as his brother Mark took over. Mark highlighted their notable accolades as Tag Team of the Year and Tag Team of the Decade. He then stressed how they are eleven-time tag team champions.
Briscoe Brothers Want 12
Taking his hat off to display the embroidered “11X” on the back, Jay asked his brother “What comes after 11?”
He continued, “12 is next. We Dem Boys. What the hell we look like, trying to win somebody else’s damn tag team titles? We Dem Boys, we re-signed with ROH, we ain’t going no-damn-where, so let the ass whooping’s continue to commence.”
As noted, the Briscoe Brothers have won the Ring of Honor World Tag Team Championships 11 times. Outside their team, Jay Briscoe is a two-time ROH World Champion. They have also won the ROH World Six-Man Championships alongside Bully Ray. The duo recently lost the ROH Tag Team Championships to Jay Lethal and Jonathan Gresham at Final Battle 2019.
With this re-signing, they join PJ Black, Josh Woods, Bandido and Villain Enterprises’ Marty Scurll in their decision to stay with the company.
If you use any quotes from this article, please provide a H/T to SEScoops.
“The Darewolf” PJ Black has reportedly re-signed with Ring of Honor (ROH). Black has been competing for the promotion under a one-year deal but has allegedly signed a new multi-year deal with the company. According to Mike Johnson of PWInsider, Black’s new contract was signed right before his previous contract expired. He made his ROH debut last year during their Survival of the Fittest tournament.
PJ Black’s “No-Brainer” Decision
Black was previously offered an opportunity to return to WWE. He shared how he was offered the same amount of money as ROH. However, he would be required to compete for approximately 200 additional shows. Black noted how by staying with ROH, he’s been afforded creative freedom. This extends to his life inside and outside of the ring, which played an important factor in his choice. He ultimately declined WWE so he could continue his career in ROH, a decision he referred to as a “no-brainer.”
PJ Black is aligned with the Lifeblood stable. He is currently involved in a storyline where he is attempting to mentor ROH talent Brian Johnson.
The news comes in the wake of other notable stars choosing to stay. Other names include Bandido, Josh Woods and Villain Enterprises’ Marty Scurll, who will also shoulder new responsibilities as ROH’s co-booker. Before signing with ROH, the former WWE Superstar wrestled across several promotions including Lucha Underground, NWA and even TNA/Impact Wrestling.
After ‘The Villain Enterprises’ leader Marty Scurll, Ring Of Honor has announced that another ROH star has decided to re-sign with the promotion in Josh Woods.
The company announced the news from their official Twitter
account and in the tweet, as seen below, they claimed that Woods has ‘all the
makings’ of a future world champion:
“Josh Woods has officially signed a new contract with ROH! Woods has more than held his own against the best wrestlers on the planet in ROH and has all the makings of a future champion. We are very proud to have Josh Woods on our roster!”
. @WoodsIsTheGoods Has Officially Signed A New Contract With ROH!
Woods has more than held his own against the best wrestlers on the planet in ROH and has all the makings of a future champion.
Marty Scurll agreed to a new contract with Ring of Honor this week. The deal is not only the most lucrative in the nearly 20-year history of the promotion, but it also puts Scurll on the ROH creative team. According to a recent update from the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Delirious and Scurll will be sharing booking duties but Scurll will likely be the lead between the two co-bookers.
“(Scurll) will work in creative as a co-booker with Hunter Johnston (Delirious) and basically as things are working out will be the lead,” wrote Dave Meltzer. The report would continue to say that Delirious didn’t object to any of Scurll’s booking ideas this weekend.
“The plan right now is for Scurll to determine the direction and for Johnston (Delirious) to run the television shows using Scurll’s ideas and adding in details and formatting it for television,” Meltzer continued. The report would continue to state that Scurll’s deal with ROH allows him to work for other promotions as well with the possible exclusions of WWE and AEW, though he may be permitted to appear for AEW, this is not yet clear.
Scurll is being advertised for the next set of NWA Powerrr tapings scheduled for January 26th in Atlanta.
Delirious is said to be happy about the deal, as it takes a lot of the pressure and anxiety away from his role. He has been on the ROH booking team since 2010 and head booker since 2012.
Scurll was reportedly set to be the revealed leader of the Dark Order stable in AEW as well. There was said to have been an idea that Scurll would debut as the leader of the stable on the 12/18 edition of Dynamite but ROH then made Scurll a substantial offer to stay with them.
Matt Hardy’s name has also been linked to the role of the leader of the Dark Order stable.
Wrestling legend and Busted Open Radio co-host Bully Ray recently commented on Marty Scurll signing a new deal with Ring of Honor that will see him join the company’s creative team in a leading role.
Marty Scurll’s future was a hot topic of conversation for the past several months. Some hoped he would stay with Ring of Honor, while others expected he would jump to All Elite Wrestling (AEW) or even WWE/NXT.
He wound up staying for big money and a role as one of ROH’s head bookers. Bully Ray thinks it was a big score to keep Scurll, but he would not have given him so much power behind the scenes.
Bully Ray on Marty Scurll’s New ROH Deal
“I’m happy for Ring of Honor that Marty staying I think it’s a good move for both,” Bully began. “Marty is without a doubt one of those guys, he’s become a massive star in Ring of Honor. Even going beyond ROH, doing some stuff with the NWA.
Bully Ray then also commented on how he felt Scurll was always the the biggest star in the Bullet Club faction.
“I’ve always said that Marty was the biggest star in the Bullet Club while the BC was part of ROH. Because his stock went up more than anybody else’s. His merchandise, which through the roof, and he actually did the same numbers if not better numbers across the board with like meet and greets and merchandise as as Cody and the [Young] Bucks. So Marty is definitely the babyface of the company.”
“Marty Scurll being a top guy in the company has to worry about the stuff that he’s doing.”
Bully was quick to mention that he does have reservations with a top star in the company having so much control behind the scenes.
“As far as being the booker is concerned; being a booker is a very very difficult job. Even on its own, because you’re worrying about creative or the directions of the matches of an entire company. Marty being a top guy in the company has to worry about the stuff that he’s doing, and now has to be patient and a good listener to all of the other talent in the company.”
“It’s always good to have different ideas”
He elaborated further, saying “If he is the head booker all the talent is going to want to talk to you about their push, about their characters, about their matches. So when Marty is at TV he has to make them see himself available to them. Just like Hunter did as the head of of ROH’s creative (Hunter Johnson, also known as Delirious). Hunter is still a part of the process so Marty and Hunter will be working together. But if the final decision goes to Marty that’s okay, because he has a different opinion, he might have a different look at the company. It’s always good to have different ideas but he’s going to have to make himself available to everybody.”
“I would have made Marty Scurll my ROH Champion”
Ray also outright stated that he would not have given the ‘pencil’ to Marty if he had the choice. “If it was up to me, I would not have made him head booker. I would have made him a part of the creative process with Hunter working side by side. I would have made Marty Scurll my ROH Champion.”
Bully also pointed out that he is definitely not involved in the official creative process. “I’m not a booker at ROH, I’m not the match maker at ROH. I’m a veteran who helps people when they ask for it behind the scenes.”
The working relationship between Ring of Honor and New Japan Pro Wrestling is showing signs of life.
ROH has announced that NJPW star “Switchblade” Jay White will appear at Supercard of Honor XIV. The event takes place during WrestleMania 36 weekend on Saturday, April 4th from Lakeland, FL at the RP Funding Center.
This will be Jay White’s first match in ROH since last year’s (ROH/NJPW) G1 Supercard show from Madison Square Garden in New York City. White lost the IWGP Heavyweight Championship to Kazuchika Okada in the main event. NJPW talent has worked for ROH less frequently in recent months.
ROH Supercard of Honor XIV goes head-to-head with NXT Takeover, scheduled for the same night in Tampa, FL at the Amalie Arena. If you’re in town for WrestleMania weekend and want to attend the ROH show, tickets go on sale to the general public Friday morning, January 17th.
Jay White wrestled back-to-back at NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 14 earlier this month. On Night 1, he dropped the IWGP Intercontinental Championship to Tetsuya Naito, who went on to capture the IWGP Heavyweight Champion from Kazuchika Okada on Night 2. White defeated Kota Ibushi the second night.
ROH Supercard of Honor
The news of Jay White’s involvement is an encouraging sign for Ring of Honor getting access to NJPW talent. We noted on Sunday that Marty Scurll has re-signed with ROH. Scurll joins ROH’s creative team with a leading role. One of his duties is to expanding ROH’s partnerships with other companies.
In addition to Jay White, we’re told other members of the Bullet Club are in talks to appear at Supercard of Honor.
According to the ROH website, other stars signed to appear include the members of Villain Enterprises (ROH World Champion PCO, “The Villain” Marty Scurll, Brody King and “The Mercenary” Flip Gordon) and La Facción Ingobernable (RUSH, ROH World Television Champion Dragon Lee, Kenny King and Amy Rose).
Current Ring of Honor (ROH) World Champion PCO has commented on the promotion’s safety guidelines, calling ROH a “first-class organization” for their concern and attention to detail. The Villain Enterprises member spoke with CBS Baltimore, recalling how ROH helped him deal with an injury.
“They never charged me for one thing,” PCO shared. “They sent an agent after the show was done. They took care of everything, signed the papers, brought me back to the hotel, made sure I was okay. [Whenever I get] a little banged up or something, I always get a phone call. ‘Are you good? Are you okay?’ And the next day, ‘Thanks for what you’ve done.’ They are nothing but a first-class organization.”
PCO On ROH Controvery
Addressing the recent controversy that transpired between ROH, Joey Mercury and Kelly Klein, PCO expressed that he didn’t know “why [Mercury] said those things.”
He continued, “I don’t know if it might’ve been some frustration because things weren’t going the way that that person was hoping. Was it a personal vendetta? I don’t know what it was. I can’t talk for that guy. And I love him to death, but from my side, it has been nothing but first-class from Ring of Honor. From my signing to every event and to everything that they do.”
PCO defeated Rush for the ROH World Championship at ROH’s last pay-per-view, Final Battle.
Former Ring of Honor (ROH) World Television Champion Shane Taylor participated in a recent interview with Solowrestling. Over the course of their conversation, Taylor addressed his initial championship victory and storylines. He even touched on ROH’s attendance drop during 2019.
Reflecting on his championship win at ROH War of the Worlds 2019, Taylor called it a “surprise.” He defeated the defending Jeff Cobb, Villain Enterprises’ Brody King and New Japan Pro-Wrestling’s Hirooki Goto. Despite this initial shock, Taylor is confident in the decision. He stressed how he had been delivering “good matches, worked well and people began to see what I was doing.”
“It helped raise not only me, but my rival and when they have matches with me, social media and the world of wrestling talk about that match, other wrestlers want to get in the ring with Shane T,” he said. “For me, it means who the man is, it means more than any title when your friends want to wrestle you because they believe you make them look better, or that you make the company better. It is the legacy I want to leave. Know that your skill is being demanded and that people want to work with you.”
Shane Taylor Productions
Turning his attention towards his Shane Taylor Productions storyline, he stressed how he wasn’t just complaining. He was telling the truth. Having been left off of posters and marketing materials, Taylor took issue with ROH’s perceived disrespect at having omitted him.
“As a Television Champion, one of the most prestigious wrestling championships, leaving you out of the poster is ridiculous,” he said. “I decided to do things my way. I bought my contract so that no one would fire me and I became a free agent, so I could open Shane Taylor Promotions, my promotional company, and have the platform and equipment I need to make sure that people can see everything I do and see the star I’ve become.”
“Those Who Say There Is No Star Power, Do Not See ROH”
With many top ROH stars having left for other promotions, live attendance took a dip in sales. Taylor, however, isn’t concerned as he states it is “normal” after top talent depart for sales to be impacted for a time.
“It is no different than a basketball team and your star leaves,” Taylor explained. “Especially when you tell your people that he is the central figure. It was expected, but those who say there is no star power, do not see ROH. Simply, people talk but do not see the product because it is not. Our live events are amazing. Everyone will have their favorites, but in the end, people who are loyal to ROH will see that ROH always returns to the top and continues to innovate and continues to mark the style that everyone now copies, because that style was created in ROH.”
Shane Taylor recently lost the championship to Dragon Lee at ROH’s final pay-per-view of 2019, Final Battle.
”The Villain’ Marty Scurll has signed a new contract with ROH.
Scurll’s original deal with the company expired back in November last year and he has been ‘testing the waters’ ever since by working for various promotions and weighing his options.
While many believed that Marty Scurll was most likely to
sign with AEW once his contract expired, none of the AEW officials had made any
confident comments about the same.
It was then reported that Ring Of Honor has offered the former Champion a very good deal with significant money. The former Being The Elite star was offered ‘WWE main roster money’ for working around 40 dates per year with ROH.
What’s interesting to note here is that according to the
reports, Marty has not only signed as a performer but he will also be joining
the booking team of the company.
It was initially reported that Marty Scurll will be taking on the role of lead booker but Pro Wrestling Sheet has since confirmed that he will be sharing the position with Executive Producer Hunter Johnston aka Delirious.
There is little debate about the fact that Ring of Honor lost its creative direction in 2019. Delerious will reportedly focus on producing ROH shows, while Scurll will be instrumental in strategizing the company’s “bigger picture.”
As part of his new role, Scurll will help rehabilitate the brand’s image. Part of that will involve strengthening its partnerships with New Japan Pro Wrestling and the National Wrestling Alliance. There has also been some buzz that Scurll will attempt to open a dialogue between ROH and All Elite Wrestling (AEW).
There is no word on the length of Marty’s new contract but
Ring Of Honor has been signing talents for 2 years recently and it’s presumed
that Scurll’s contract is also of a similar length.
Bandido has re-signed with Ring of Honor. News of the popular luchador’s new agreement with the promotion was announced recently through ROH’s social media channels.
No details on the terms or length of the contract have been released.
Wrestling Superstar @bandidowrestler Has Officially Signed A New Contract With ROH!
Ring Of Honor Wrestling Takes Great Pride In Signing And Developing Top Wrestling Stars From Around The World And We Are Very Proud To Have Bandido On Our Roster! #ROH ? pic.twitter.com/QugXUtzPvn
24-year-old Bandido was ranked the 81st top single’s record of 2019 by Pro Wrestling Illustrated last year. He is currently the Heavyweight Champion for the Crash promotion in Mexico. Bandido is also the current PWG Heavyweight champion and won the Battle of Los Angeles last year.
Daniel Bryan Says Bandido Would Have Succeeded In WWE
Last summer, Daniel Bryan expressed wanting Bandido in WWE during an interview with Super Luchas.
“I could say: ‘Wait a minute, I want Negro Casas in WWE’ or something because I love Blue Panther, I love Negro Casas,” Bryan said when discussing what luchadors would work in WWE. “The first time I saw a fight of his was about 1987, but he is amazing. In 2019 he is still impressive. Then I have a lot of respect for them, but thinking about who could do it now in WWE, I could tell someone like Rush. I think Bandido would do it big; also, Dragon Lee could succeed.”
Ring of Honor is said to have tabled a substantial offer to Marty Scurll recently. According to a report from the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Scurll is being offered “WWE main roster” money to work only 40 days per year with ROH.
“We had heard Scurll was being offered a better deal than the one Matt Taven signed for,” wrote Dave Meltzer. Taven is reported to have received an offer from ROH worth double what NXT wrestlers in WWE make.
“We don’t have it confirmed that he signed it,” Meltzer wrote of Scurll’s contract offer. “It’s a great deal as it’s basically WWE main roster money while only working maybe 40 dates per year for ROH and certain unique perks.”
ROH is advertising Scurll for their February 9th, 2020 free show “Free Enterprise.”
“Marty is going to do what Marty is going to do,” Cody said recently to Talk Sport. “We all love Marty. Anything he does in the next few weeks or months, I wouldn’t look at as permanent for him. He’s very much testing the waters here and there and that’s pretty much all I can say on Marty.”
Ring of Honor has just announced plans to throw a free event on February 9th, 2020 at the UMBC Event Center in Baltimore, Maryland. The show will be titled “Free Enterprise” and is being run in conjunction with the #ROHCares initiative.
ROH has come up with something special to thank our fans for nearly two decades of unwavering support.
Feb. 9 in Baltimore ROH presents Free Enterprise, a live event featuring the best pro wrestlers on the planet that is FREE to attend!
— ROH – Ring of Honor Wrestling (@ringofhonor) January 6, 2020
“Free Enterprise is an extension of the ongoing #ROHCares initiative in which ROH gives back to the community,” and ROH press release for the event reads. “This program has seen top stars regularly visit children’s hospitals and has provided veterans with free tickets to live events through a partnership with Vet Tix.”
The promotion has also announced several wrestlers already signed to appear and 3 big matches already booked for the event.
ROH Free Enterprise
Matches booked for the free event scheduled for February 9th in Baltimore:
Slex vs Flip Gordon
Mark & Jay Briscoe vs Flamita & Bandido
ROH World Tag Team Championships Jon Gresham & Jay Lethal (c) vs Dan Maff & Jeff Cobb
Other ROH Wrestlers scheduled to appear at Free Enterprise:
PCO
Dragon Lee
“El Toro Blanco” RUSH
“The Villain” Marty Scurll
Session Moth Martina
ROH World Champion PCO Ceremonial Puck Drop At Montreal Canadiens Game
PCO will be honored tonight at the Montreal Canadiens vs Winnipeg Jets game. The ROH World Champion will be dropping the puck at the Bell Center.
Montreal Quebec’s Native Son and NEW Ring of Honor World Champion, @PCOisNotHuman will grace the Montreal Canadiens vs Winnipeg Jets hockey match Jan. 6th at 7pm at the Bell Centre. @CanadiensMTL
Current Ring of Honor World Champion PCO has expressed his confidence in re-signing with the promotion. Speaking with The Post & Courieron his career to date, PCO broached his current status with ROH. He confirmed that they are on good terms and are in the final stages of negotiating a new contract.
“We’re on good terms. We’re finalizing a new contract,” PCO revealed. “ROH has shown tremendous confidence in me, and we have a great relationship. I’m sure we’ll extend the contract. It’s just a matter of time.”
He continued, “There are some very good people running ROH. They are running it with heart, with great principles. They’re awesome people. I just think there’s a very bright future ahead for Ring of Honor.”
Evolving PCO’s Character
PCO noted how he believes there is more to his character than has been presented, and that “payback” is one of his driving motivators.
“There’s so much more to go with this character. I think it’s the nature of life,” PCO said. “I’ve got to get payback for everything I went through and everything that I gave with my heart and soul, a lot of tears and sweat.”
PCO defeated the former ROH World Champion, Rush, last month at ROH’s Final Battle ppay-per-view. They clashed in a Friday the 13th Massacre No DQ matchup. ROH recently uploaded the entire pay-per-view for free to their YouTube channel.
BJ Whitmer and Kelly Klein are getting divorced. Whitmer works backstage for AEW after having left Ring of Honor. Klein is still technically the reigning WOH World Champion despite her contract with ROH not being renewed.
Whitmer released the following statement recently on social media:
“I have a personal statement to make. My wife Kelly Klein and I are divorcing. This is happening because Kelly breached the trust in our relationship by stepping outside of our marriage. This is the only thing I have to say about the matter. This has been a very difficult time for myself and my family. News or our split was already spreading around the business and I wanted to make a statement before it made it to social media or wrestling media.”
The couple had been married since 2017.
Whitmer has since deleted or deactivated his Twitter account. Klein has not been active on social media in the last few days.
Kelly Klein Gone From Ring of Honor
Whitmer and Klein were both involved recently in a public conflict with their former employer, Ring of Honor. Klein’s contract with the company was not renewed following the conflict. A representative from ROH sent the following statement to media in regards to Klein’s departure from the company:
“We normally don’t discuss these matters but since it seems to have been made public — We did not fire Kelly but we did notify her that we would not be re-signing her when her current agreement expires. She is still under contract through the end of the year.”
Ring of Honor (ROH) has released their most recent pay-per-view, Final Battle, for free. The promotion has uploaded the entire show, including the pre-show matches, to YouTube giving fans and those curious about the company an opportunity to see what ROH is capable of delivering.
Final Battle 2019 took place a few weeks ago on December 13th in the UMBC Event Center in Baltimore, Maryland. The show was headlined by a ROH World Championship match between Rush and Villain Enterprises’ PCO.
Final Battle 2019
ROH World Championship Match: Rush (c) vs PCO
ROH World Tag Team Championship Match: The Briscoes (c) vs Jay Lethal and Johnathan Gresham
ROH World Television Championship Match: Shane Tayler (c) vs Ryu Lee
Angelina Love vs Maria Manic
Colt Cabana vs Alex Shelley
Street Fight: Mark Haskins vs Bully Ray
Matt Taven vs Vincent
Villain Enterprises (Marty Scurll and Flip Gordan) vs Bandido and Flamita
Pre-Show
Jeff Cobb vs Dan Maff
Kenny King vs Rhett Titus
Silas Young and Josh Woods vs Dalton Castle and Joe Hendry
There is no word at the time of writing if the pay-per-view will remain online indefinitely or if Final Battle is only online temporarily to act as a teaser of sorts to curious fans.
There’s been a lot of speculation on the future of Marty Scurll, but the has been reportedly given an offer by Ring of Honor (ROH).
Earlier this week, ROH announced the main event of their Honor Reigns Supreme show that will see La Faccion Ingobernable of Rush & Dragon Lee & Kenny King vs. Villain Enterprises of Scurll & Body King & PCO in a six-man tag team match take place.
Marty Scurll Given New Contract
Dave Meltzer reported in the latest issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that “No word if that means he’s staying with ROH, which we were told gave him a great offer.”
This show takes place on January 12th in Concord, N.C. at the Cabarrus Arena. The promotion will be announcing more matches for the show in the coming weeks.
Scurll’s contract with Ring of Honor recently expired, but he wrestled at their Final Battle PPV event and the television tapings the same weekend, which means that he will remain on ROH TV for the next several weeks.
To make things more interesting, he appeared at the end of the NWA Into the Fire pay-per-view where Scurll had a staredown with NWA World Heavyweight Champion Nick Aldis.
The speculation is that this angle was done to set up a possible match between the two.
Time will tell where Scurll ends up on a full-time basis.
Ring of Honor has announced that the current ROH Six-Man Tag Team Champions, the Villain Enterprises, will defend their titles against La Faccion Ingobernable on January 12.
Marty Scurll, Brody King, and ROH World Champion PCO of the Villain Enterprises will look to defend their gold against RUSH, Dragon Lee, and Kenny Lee at the upcoming ROH event in Concord, North Carolina.
ROH announcer Ian Riccaboni made the announcement of the match on his Twitter:
“Hey @ringofhonor fans: I promised I would have the announcement of the Concord Main Event for Sunday January 12.
It is @rushtoroblanco, @dragonlee95, and @KennyKingPb2 vs. @MartyScurll, @Brodyxking, and @PCOisNotHuman for the ROH World Six-Man Tag Team Titles.
Villain Enterprises won the ROH Six-Man Tag Team Championship since winning it on March 16 of this year. They have held the titles for over 284 days now. They most recently successfully defended their titles last month in November against Cheeseburger, Colt Cabana & Jeff Cobb.
The formation of La Faccion Ingobernable happened at the Ring of Honor’s Final Battle Fallout event on December 15. The faction is the American branch of La Facción Ingobernable, which first formed as Los Ingobernables AAA at the AAA Guerra De Titanes event on December 14. It consisted of RUSH, Killer Kross, LA Park and Konnan.
Ring of Honor has a new world champion. PCO defeated Rush last night in the main event of Final Battle 2019. The final event of ROH’s calendar year climaxed with the 51-year-old’s title win, becoming the oldest wrestler ever to hold the title.
PCO’s title win was the 3rd title change which took place last night on the card from Baltimore. Jay Lethal & Jonathan Gresham won the tag titles and Dragon Lee became the new ROH TV champion as well.
