SEScoops

Category: ROH

  • BJ Whitmer Departs ROH Amidst Frustrations With Company

    BJ Whitmer Departs ROH Amidst Frustrations With Company

    BJ Whitmer is no longer with Ring of Honor. The 40-year-old tendered his resignation earlier this week. According to a report from Pro Wrestling Sheet, Whitmer was unhappy with the company, leading to his departure.

    “We’re told BJ had been unhappy with management for months and that was his reasoning for quitting,” wrote Ryan Satin.

    According to PW Insider, Whitmer sent an email to ROH employees which was critical of the company. He said he had been treated with “utter disrespect” by ROH in the email. The report from PW Insider would continue to say an incident involving a WWE PC guest-coaching spot may have been the catalyst for these events. ROH evidently would not let Whitmer accept a guest-coaching spot with WWE. Such temporary positions are often offered to industry veterans for a few days at the Performance Center in Orlando.

    “In leaving ROH, I want to say thank you and it’s been a pleasure working with all of you,” Whitmer wrote to ROH employees. “I wish everyone nothing but the best and I’m certain I’ll cross paths with most of you again.”

    ROH has declined comment on the matter.

    BJ Whitmer Leaves Ring of Honor

    Whitmer has spent the majority of his career with Ring of Honor. He first debuted for the promotion in 2003 in a match against CM Punk. Whitmer’s last wrestling match was in March of 2017.

  • Mark Haskins Officially Signs With ROH

    Mark Haskins Officially Signs With ROH

    We recently reported on the rumors circulating popular U.K. independent wrestler, Mark Haskins, signing with Ring Of Honor. Since then, Haskins took to his social media account in order to break the news that he has officially signed with the company.

    It didn’t take long for ROH to jump in. The company announced that “[…] he’s coming to #ROHAtlanta & #ROHConcord next month!”

    Mark Haskins debuted for Ring Of Honor earlier this year during their Honor United tour in the United Kingdom. He would win their ROH International Cup in August after defeating Elite member, ‘Hangman’ Adam Page in the final. This victory earned him a shot against ROH World Champion, Jay Lethal, where he would lose to the reigning champion.

    It’s reported that Haskins signed with ROH around their recent Final Battle PPV in December.

    There was one wrestler in particular who was thrilled to hear the news: Jimmy Havoc. Havoc, who has teamed extensively with Haskins for PROGRESS Wrestling, gave Haskins a glowing endorsement and said he’s now looking for a new tag team partner.

    https://twitter.com/JimmyHavoc/status/1075779583415279621

  • Details On Bandito Picking ROH Over All Elite Wrestling

    Details On Bandito Picking ROH Over All Elite Wrestling

    We have an update on Ring Of Honor signing popular luchador, Bandido. According to the latest issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Bandito signing with ROH came as a big surprise to … members of The Elite.

    Cody Rhodes, The Young Bucks and company were said to be very interested in featuring Bandito as one of the top attractions in their upstart All Elite Wrestling promotion. Looking back to All In, Bandido was not only booked into the main event, but had most of the highlight spots in the match.

    Bandido’s Reasoning

    As for why Bandito chose Ring of Honor over All Elite Wrestling, it boils down to the uncertainty surrounding AEW. The Elite is gearing up to make some huge announcements after the new year. However, they have yet to publicly announce a television deal or tour dates for 2019.

    Contrast that with Ring of Honor making a strong financial offer that includes exposure on their weekly television show and regular touring schedule.

    Despite this, Bandido “adores those guys [The Young Bucks/The Elite]” and wants to see them succeed with their new venture. It’s reported that he would have been thrilled to have been a part of AEW, but there was just too much uncertainty involved.

    With WWE, New Japan, ROH, MLW, Impact and now All Elite vying for talent as we head into 2019, it’s going to be a very interesting to see how the wrestling landscape looks in a few months time.

  • The Young Bucks Confirm They Will Not Work G1 Supercard At MSG

    The Young Bucks Confirm They Will Not Work G1 Supercard At MSG

    The Young Bucks finished up with ROH this weekend but there was still speculation they could end up performing on the big ROH/NJPW Madison Square Garden show this spring. Although the Bucks are leaving ROH, they could potentially be contracted NJPW performers come that time.

    According to recent comments from Matt Jackson, however, the Bucks will definitely not be on that show even if they are with NJPW come that time.

    https://twitter.com/MattJackson13/status/1075790673117274112

    Cody Says He’s Leaving WrestleMania Weekend To WWE

    Cody doubled-down on his comments about not performing on the Madison Square Garden show either during a recent interview with Sports Illustrated.

    “I have a massive amount of respect for Joe Koff and [GM] Greg Gilleland. My exclusivity with Ring of Honor ended a while back and they’ve maintained everything on a handshake deal. I think Greg is a revolutionary in how he allows talent to play with without overproducing,” Cody said. “But I can’t imagine me being on that particular show. After two ‘supercards’ and breaking my back essentially against Kenny last year, it still can’t change the fact that people are in town for WWE.”

    He continued to say he’s performed that weekend for many years but is now leaving it to WWE.

    “After 10 years with WWE doing ’Mania weekend and two more with ROH, I am leaving that weekend for the boys and girls of the WWE.”

  • New Matches Set For ROH Honor Reigns Supreme

    New Matches Set For ROH Honor Reigns Supreme

    New matches have been announced for Ring of Honor’s next event, Honor Reigns Supreme.

    The Baltimore-based promotion has announced that ROH World Six-Man Tag Team Champions The Kingdom (Matt Taven, TK O’Ryan and Vinny Marseglia) would take on Shane “Hurricane” Helms, Delirious and Luchasaurus in a proving ground match. Also, Women of Honor Champion Kelly Klein will defend her title against Jenny Rose.

    Klein is coming off the biggest win thus far in her pro wrestling career as she won Four Corner Survival match for the Women of Honor World Championship to become the queen of the division when defeating Madison Rayne, Karen Q, and Sumie Sakai.

    Ring of Honor will hold this event on January 13th in Concord, NC at the Cabarrus Arena that will air on ROH’s streaming service, Honor Club. The promotion will a TV taping the night before in Atalanta, Georgia at Center Stage. The promotion will be announcing more matches for this event in the coming weeks. Here’s the updated lineup:

    Honor Reigns Supreme Card

    • Women of Honor Champion Kelly Klein vs. Jenny Rose
    • ROH World Six-Man Tag Team Champions The Kingdom (Matt Taven, TK O’Ryan and Vinny Marseglia) take on Shane “Hurricane” Helms, Delirious and Luchasaurus
    • ROH Champion Jay Lethal vs. Dalton Castle
  • Flip Gordon Looks To His Future In ROH, Comments On ‘The Elite’ Leaving

    Flip Gordon Looks To His Future In ROH, Comments On ‘The Elite’ Leaving

    It’s always sad when friends move away. With The Elite seemingly moving on to greener pastures almost entirely across the board, that’s the reality that faces Ring Of Honor (ROH) wrestler, Flip Gordon.

    Addressing the recent spate of rumors that surround The Elite regarding All Elite Wrestling, leaving NJPW and ROH, as well as his place within Being The Elite, Flip was forthcoming in his answer as he spoke recently with the WINCLY podcast.

    He says that he wishes his friends well, no matter what they do or who they end up signing with. Regardless of where The Elite call home, Flip asserts that he will support their decision and remain happy for them.

    “I’m very thankful for the time I have been able to spend with them,” Gordan admits, “but my focus is Ring of Honor. I’m with Ring of Honor until 2020, and my focus is building Ring of Honor as much as I can.”

    There is, however, one member of The Elite still currently signed to ROH: ‘The Villain’ Marty Scurll.

    With the majority of his friends departing, it perhaps leaves Flip’s role as a member of the Being The Elite YouTube show somewhat in the air — though he doesn’t rule out trying a series spin-off with Marty Scurll.

    “[…] Marty’s still gonna be in Ring of Honor,” he said, “so maybe it’s ‘Marty and Flip take Ring of Honor.’ We’re still all really good friends, so I’m sure that we will continue to still do Being The Elite,” Gordon said. “Nothing is guaranteed, but anything can also happen in this business, and that’s one of the cool things about wrestling.”

    What do you think the future holds for Flip Gordon? Will he become a main event player in ROH?

  • ROH & NJPW Announce 4th Annual Honor Rising Show

    ROH & NJPW Announce 4th Annual Honor Rising Show

    Ring Of Honor (ROH) and New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) have announced their fourth annual Honor Rising show for 2019. The two-night affair will kickoff from Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan on February 22nd. The official announcement teased usual first-time-ever matches between NJPW and ROH with “top competitors” from each brand.

    The show will take place seven weeks before the historic G1 Supercard from Madison Square Garden on WrestleMania 35 weekend. Check out ROH and NJPW’s official statement on 2019’s Honor Rising show here below:

    “For the fourth consecutive year, Ring of Honor and New Japan Pro-Wrestling will join forces to present Honor Rising, two nights of incredible action featuring the stars of ROH and NJPW at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo on Feb. 22-23.

    “Honor Rising traditionally features first-time-ever matches pitting top competitors from the two companies against one another, as well as tag matches in which ROH and NJPW stars team together. The ROH World Championship has been defended every year at Honor Rising events, which have all been held at Korakuen Hall.”

    No matches have been officially announced for the card as of this writing. However, we’ll keep you updated as more news becomes available.

    Will you be tuning in for ROH and NJPW’s Honor Rising show in February?

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMsSahDAoU4

  • Dalton Castle Addresses WWE Rumors

    Dalton Castle Addresses WWE Rumors

    Former Ring Of Honor (ROH) World Heavyweight Champion, Dalton Castle, was recently interviewed by Bill Apter for the latter’s Apter Chat after the company’s recent Final Battle event at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York.

    They covered a few subjects during their backstage interview, including who some of Castle’s favorite opponents have been during his tenure in ROH, as well as how he fell into professional wrestling. Apter even managed to convince Dalton to deliver a few ‘impressions’ of previous wrestlers like “Macho Man” Randy Savage and Rick Rude.

    As the interview wrapped up, however, Apter would ask Dalton Castle about the rumors circulating him regarding WWE’s interest in the Peacock of ROH.

    “Of course I heard those rumors,” Castle confirmed. “Who wouldn’t be interested in Dalton Castle? I think about them a lot. What do you want, do you want me to go there? It’s a big world out there.”

    “I don’t know what to say to you Bill, you want the scoop?” he teased. “I shouldn’t be telling you this. This is between you and me. I got a lucrative offer from WCW…and I’m thinking about taking it.”

    You can watch the entire Apter Chat interview below:

    What do you think? Is Castle deferring because of WWE’s interest? Is he playing coy to avoid ruffling feathers in ROH? Would you even like to see Dalton in WWE or do you prefer him in ROH?

  • “Farewell To The Elite” To Air Tonight On Honor Club

    “Farewell To The Elite” To Air Tonight On Honor Club

    Ring of Honor has announced that a “Farewell to the Elite” video will air tonight on Honor Club. The popular faction bid farewell to the promotion on Saturday at a set of TV tapings.

    The tapings were held inside the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia. The Elite is expected to take part in a multi-person tag-team match to end their ROH tenures on ROH TV.

    Farewell to the Elite In Ring of Honor

    There is some speculation at the moment that members of the Elite could still wrestle big shows with ROH next year. If the Elite continue in NJPW, they could take part in joint ROH/NJPW shows in 2019. Cody has made it clear, however, that he won’t be on the Madison Square Garden show this April.

    “I can’t imagine me being on that particular show,” Cody told SI.com earlier this month. “After two ‘supercards’ and breaking my back essentially against Kenny last year, it still can’t change the fact that people are in town for WWE.”

    Hangman Page, who had been with the promotion since the beginning of his career, had the following to say regarding his departure from ROH:

    “I had my last ROH match this weekend,” Page Tweeted. “Showed up to their training school for a tryout as a scrawny 18-year-old. Made a lot of good friends and memories along the way. Thanks, everyone. Full speed ahead.”

  • Jay Lethal Vs Dalton Castle Announced For Honor Reigns Supreme

    Jay Lethal Vs Dalton Castle Announced For Honor Reigns Supreme

    Ring of Honor has announced that Jay Lethal’s next title defense will be on January 13th in Concord. His opponent will be former ROH World Champion, Dalton Castle.

    An ROH press release explained the booking decision as follows:

    “With several competitors owed a title match,” the press release begins. “Castle earned the right to be first in line during the international television taping in Philadelphia over the weekend. Castle, who won the title from Cody at Final Battle 2017, holds a victory over Lethal, as he successfully defended the ROH World Title against him at the 16th Anniversary Show this past March.”

    Lethal lost to Matt Taven at Final Battle 2018. He never received his title rematch after losing the belt in June, however.

    Jay Lethal’s Ring of Honor World Championship Statistics

    This match could be the last title defense for Lethal before he ties Samoa Joe’s record for combined days spent with the title on February 3rd. Lethal will tie Joe with 645 combined days spent as champion then. Joe earned all 645 days spent as champion during a single reign, whereas Lethal split his up amongst two different reigns.

    If successful, Lethal’s defense against Dalton Castle would be his 37th split amongst his two reigns. It would bring him one behind the record of 38 tied between Nigel McGuiness and Bryan Danielson.

  • Hangman Page Comments On His Last ROH Match

    Hangman Page Comments On His Last ROH Match

    Adam “Hangman” Page wrestled his last match for Ring of Honor on Saturday. After losing an ROH TV title match to Jeff Cobb at Final Battle, Page’s last show with the promotion was Saturday’s TV tapings in Philadelphia.

    “I had my last ROH match this weekend. Showed up to their training school for a tryout as a scrawny 18 year old. Made a lot of good friends and memories along the way. Thanks everyone. Full speed ahead.”

    Adam “Hangman” Page’s ROH Run

    https://twitter.com/theAdamPage/status/1074493431081328640

    Page debuted with the company in 2011 after having been trained by Johnny Valiant. He is expected to be apart of the proposed All Elite Wrestling promotion next year.

    Other members of the Elite have made similar comments regarding their last ROH matches recently.

    Cody Tweeted out the following:

    He has also made a point of mentioning he will not be at the Madison Square Garden show this spring, even as a member of the NJPW roster.

    “After two ‘supercards’ and breaking my back essentially against Kenny last year, it still can’t change the fact that people are in town for WWE.,” Cody told SI.com last week.

    “ROH and NJPW sold that building out and that is massive and special and I love that they did it, but had they did it on another weekend, I’d be more likely to be featured on it,” he continued. “After 10 years with WWE doing ’Mania weekend and two more with ROH, I am leaving that weekend for the boys and girls of the WWE.”

    The Young Bucks sent out the following as well:

    https://twitter.com/MattJackson13/status/1074310767070101505?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

    “Leaving the territory. See you on the other side.”

    Members of the Elite are believed to have participated in a multi-person tag at the ROH TV Tapings in Philadelphia on Saturday.

  • Ring Of Honor In 2019: What Will The Promotion Look Like?

    Ring Of Honor In 2019: What Will The Promotion Look Like?

    Ring of Honor garnered attendance records, launched a streaming service, and broke new ground in 2018. Despite this, many fans are skeptical regarding ROH’s ability to build upon their most successful year ever as we enter 2019.

    The reason some are pointing to in regards to skepticism the promotion can continue its string of success is that members of the Elite are departing the company. Cody, Hangman Page, and the Young Bucks won’t be on the ROH full-time roster next year. Marty Scurll’s contract with the promotion ends this spring as well.

    Those who have followed ROH since the beginning are aware this is nothing new for the promotion, however. ROH has been built upon a foundation of wrestlers building up their names and then leaving. The only ones who never have are the Briscoes, and they seem to be just where they want to be.

    ROH Roster In 2019

    Out: The Young Bucks, Cody Rhodes and Adam “Hangman” Page.

    In: Jeff Cobb, PCO, Brody King, Bandito and Mark Haskins

    Granted, the talent in the “Out group” is considerable, but so is the talent in the “In Group”. One notable difference between those leaving and those coming in, however, is that ROH has brought in 3 heavyweights who spent much of this year wrestling each other on the independents. I attended a triple threat match between Jeff Cobb, PCO, and Brody King which took place for Smash Wrestling this year. They were all signed by ROH just a few months later.

    There are also rumors that Bandido’s tag-team partner, Flamita could be on his way to ROH. The pair team as “Mexa Blood” and have won tag belts in Progress and the Crash.

    In terms of popularity, losing the Elite is significant. In terms of in-ring talent, you can make the argument those coming in have just as much to offer as those who have left, however.

    NWA and Ring of Honor

    Nick Aldis and the NWA World Heavyweight Championship made an appearance Friday at Final Battle. Aldis applauded for Jay Lethal from the entrance ramp, all but letting the champion know he wants a title match.

    The Aldis/NWA/ROH relationship we see in 2019 could be interesting as well. How it plays into what Billy Corgan and the NWA have planned is anyone’s guess at this point. Clearly, the two sides have come to an agreement to work together, however.

    NJPW In Ring of Honor Next Year

    One of ROH’s biggest draws is their relationship with NJPW. Every year ROH parades around a group of NJPW stars for their Global Wars or War of the Worlds tours. As NJPW continues to grow in popularity, so too will their joint shows with ROH, including this spring inside Madison Square Garden.

    Zack Sabre Jr and Juice Robinson are two names ROH is expected to feature more of in the next calendar year. Even the 2019 version of NJPW’s Bullet Club, featuring members of the Firing Squad who kicked the Elite out, are possible for ROH next year. As both NJPW and ROH gear up for the Garden show in the first-quarter of 2019, expect NJPW stars to be a regular occurrence for ROH.

    Wrestlers ROH Has Lost In the Past

    Since 2002, ROH has hired good wrestlers who, for whatever reason, weren’t getting a shot elsewhere. Tyler Black, El Generico, Kevin Steen, and Bryan Danielson have all come and gone from Ring of Honor in addition to numerous others. Not only did the company keep moving forward after those departures, but they also grew, evolved, and got better. There is no reason to believe anything other than that will happen in 2019 as well.

  • Mark Haskins Reportedly Signs With Ring of Honor

    Mark Haskins Reportedly Signs With Ring of Honor

    Mark Haskins has been touted as the latest signee for Ring of Honor. The company are currently bringing in some top independent talent as a way to offset the departure of The Elite (Young Bucks, Cody Rhodes and Hangman Page).

    Haskins is one of the top stars in the UK not currently signed to NXT UK or World of Sport. The former PROGRESS Champion has been performing on cards across the United Kingdom for a number of years and is regarded as one of the stalwarts of the scene.

    PW Insider reported that Haskins had signed around the recent Final Battle event. The backstage talk had apparently revolved around the UK star and his impending debut. The actual date for Haskins’ debut has not yet been confirmed and ROH have not made his signing public at the time of writing.

    Haskins made his ROH debut earlier this year during the Honor United tour. Mark actually won the ROH International Cup in August, defeating Hangman Page in the final. The win earned Haskins a shot against Jay Lethal for the Ring of Honor Championship. This match took place at the London date for Honor Re-United where he was unsuccessful.

    We interviewed Mark earlier this year, you can check that full interview out here.

  • Bandido Signs With Ring Of Honor

    Bandido Signs With Ring Of Honor

    Ring of Honor has signed popular luchador, Bandido. Bandido and ROH have reached an agreement and his debut is expected in early 2019. The news was first reported by Lucha Blog and has since been confirmed by f4wonline.com.

    The 23-year-old has been making a name for himself recently in AAA and the Crash promotions in Mexico. He was also recently booked in the main event of the Elite’s All In as well. Bandido frequently teams with Flamita under the name “Mexa Blood”. The team is former tag champions in both the Crash and Progress.

    ROH Free Agent Signings

    Bandito is another strong signing for Ring of Honor as the company looks to regroup headed into 2019. The recent departures of Cody Rhodes, the Young Bucks and Adam “Hangman” Page could have been a devastating blow, but Ring of Honor has been aggressively rebuilding its talent

    ROH COO Joe Koff recently addressed the promotion’s ability to replace leaving stars. He listed several names he feels will be the nucleus for the promotion in the coming months:

    “Marty [Scurll] is up in there. Jay Lethal is up in there. Jeff Cobb is an extremely exciting performer, I love watching him. Flip Gordon. Matt Taven. I could probably go deeper than five,” he said.

    In addition to Bandito, Ring of Honor has recently signed PCO, Brody King and we’re told a top UK star will be the next announcement.

  • Cody & Young Bucks Address Finishing Up With ROH

    Cody & Young Bucks Address Finishing Up With ROH

    Cody Rhodes and The Young Bucks are one step closer to realizing their next chapter of their careers, whatever that may be. After Friday night’s Final Battle pay-per-view from New York City, The Elite addressed the live crowd (Video) and gave a farewell address. Matt Jackson teased the formation of All Elite Wrestling and told the fans something big is about to go down.

    Cody and The Elite worked Saturday night’s ROH television taping from Philadelphia, PA. You can check out full results from those tapings here. This is most likely their final appearance for ROH before the big announcements start rolling out following NJPW’s Wrestle Kingdom 13 on January 4th.

    On Sunday morning, Matt Jackson of the Young Bucks tweeted that he’s “leaving the territory.” The Bucks have been working for Ring of Honor on-and-off since 2009.

    https://twitter.com/MattJackson13/status/1074310767070101505

    Cody Rhodes posted a heartfelt message thanking Ring of Honor for providing him “shelter from the storm” 2 years ago after he left WWE. Cody, a former ROH World Heavyweight Champion, called his run with the company a beautiful experience.

    “Thank you to all the fans, Cody wrote. “Thank you to a wonderfully talented locker-room. Thank you to an outstanding crew/production top-to-bottom. Thank you Joe Koff & Greg Gilleland. Thank you ROH, I needed “shelter from the storm” & you gave me a home the past 2 years. Beautiful experience”

  • Spoilers: ROH TV Tapings In Philadelphia (12/15/18)

    Spoilers: ROH TV Tapings In Philadelphia (12/15/18)

    ROH held TV tapings on Sunday night (December 15th) in Philadelphia, PA at the 2300 Arena. Here are the spoilers from the tapings:

    ROH TV Tapings Spoilers

    – Jeff Cobb defeated Luchasaurus

    – The Elite did an in-ring promo where The Bucks called for an 8 man tag team match. The Bucks picked Best Friends, Page picked Lethal, Cody picked Flip as their opponents.

    – Sumie Sakai & Jenny Rose defeated Sea Stars

    – Chris Sabin, Flip Gordon, Marty Scurll and Dalton Castle came out for an in-ring promo that led to Ian Riccaboni saying they’ll meet in a four corner survival match with the winner getting the first title shot against Jay Lethal at Honor Reigns Supreme. Ian calls for Lethal, but Taven comes out instead. He rips on each guy in the ring. Lethal comes out and attacks him, then they are broken up.

    – WOH Championship Match: Kelly Klein defeated Nikki Adams to retain. After the match, Jenny Rose comes out and says she’ll see Kelly at Honor Reigns Supreme. She wants a street fight and Kelly accepts.

    – Christopher Daniels comes out to the ring where he talks about losing at Final Battle and teases leaving. Joe Koff offers a new contract and a hug, but Shane Taylor attacks. Taylor hits Daniels with a chair and tears the contract up, then stuffs it in Daniels’ mouth.

    – Dalton Castle defeated Chris Sabin, Marty Scurll & Flip Gordon. Post-match, Castle challenges Jay Lethal at Honor Reigns Supreme. Lethal came out and shook Castle’s hand.

    – Zack Sabre Jr defeated Tracy Williams

    – Dr. Britt Baker & Madison Rayne defeated Twisted Sisters

    – ROH World Tag Team Championship Match: The Briscoes defeated SCU to retain

    – Eli Isom defeated Facade

    – Rush defeated TK O’Ryan

    – Shane Taylor defeated Mike Law

    – Flip Gordon came out for an interview with Colt Cabana, and talked about his plans for 2019. Kenny King interrupted and said Flip, Castle, Sabin and Scurll didn’t deserve title shots,. King got in the ring and took a few more shots him before leaving.

    – Silas Young defeated Beer City Bruiser

    – Villain Enterprises (Scurll, PCO, King) defeated Cheeseburger, Eli Isom & Ryan Nova

    – Jay Lethal, Best Friends & Flip Gordon defeated The Elite. Post-match, Matt Jackson talked about their history in the 2300 Arena. Bully Ray, The Briscoes, Silas Young and Shane Taylor all came out with Ray taking exception to Matt’s remarks. This led to a brawl as Lethal, Best Friends and Flip tried to make the save, but ended up getting beaten down. The group continued to talk some trash to the crowd.

  • Jay Lethal On How Randy Savage Loved His Macho Man Impression

    Jay Lethal On How Randy Savage Loved His Macho Man Impression

    Ring of Honor World Champion Jay Lethal did an interview with Mat Elfring of Gamespot recently where he discussed his Macho Man impression and how Randy Savage and his brother Lanny Poffo loved it.

    Jay Lethal gained popularity due to his persona inspired by ‘Macho Man’ Randy Savage, which he called ‘Black Machismo.’ He revealed how when he first spoke to Randy Savage and came to know that Randy loved his impression:

    “The first time I spoke with [Macho Man Randy Savage], now I’m gonna be honest, I didn’t believe it was him because I can do a pretty good Macho Man impression, and I’m sure other people could too. I’m sure that I know a couple people who can do one.”

    “So, when I was talking to him on the phone, deep down inside, I thought this could be somebody else playing a trick on me. Until Lanny [Poffo] actually confirmed that it was his brother. But he loved it. He said he didn’t watch it on TV but he did watch some of the stuff, he pulled my stuff up on YouTube and he absolutely loved it.”

    Jay Lethal also talked about how he had talked with Randy’s brother Lanny Poffo and how their hilarious but sweet interaction took place.

    “He loved it so much that at the All In pay-per-view, the days before Starrcast, big signing, there was so much to do. Well, I had a signing with Lanny, we were at the same table and he told me, ‘One of the things that I miss the most about my brother is, just sometimes at random times he would just yell at me. So if you could, just at random times throughout this signing just find a reason to yell at me I would love it.’”

    Jay Lethal had revived the Black Machismo character at All In and not only that, he also came to the ring accompanied with Lanny Poffo, which made for a really memorable moment. Last night, Jay Lethal defeated Cody Rhodes at Final Battle to retain the ROH Championship. You can check it out by clicking here.

  • The Elite Bids Farewell To Ring Of Honor After Final Battle (Video)

    The Elite Bids Farewell To Ring Of Honor After Final Battle (Video)

    Members of The Elite bid farewell to Ring of Honor after the conclusion of Friday night’s Final Battle pay-per-view from New York City.

    The Young Bucks, Cody, Hangman Page and S.C.U. (Christopher Daniels, Kazarian and Scorpio Sky) were all in action on the card. All of them are rumored to be departing Ring of Honor and all of them lost their matches Friday night. You can check out our full breakdown of the Final Battle pay-per-view here. The main event saw the Briscoe Brothers defeat the Young Bucks and S.C.U. in a Ladder War to capture the ROH world tag team championships for the 10th time.

    After the show went off the air, The Elite hit the ring to address the live crowd. Matt Jackson thanked everyone for their support and said the Manhattan Center is their favorite venue to wrestle in. Fans chanted, “January 1st” in reference to The Elite teasing a major announcement regarding their future after the new year.

    Jackson said this was not going to be some emotional farewell speech or anything like that, which brought on more supportive chants. The Young Bucks started in Ring of Honor 10 years ago and this past 2-year run as best the best time of their lives. They thanked Ring of Honor executives and their families for joining them each step of their journey.

    Matt Jackson then asked, “We’re all elite, right?” He said “the timer is ticking” and something big is about to go down. He encouraged everyone to stay tuned and keep watching their Youtube series, Being the Elite, for details on their next moves.

    Fans chanted “Double or Nothing” as The Elite signed off and promised they will return to New York City again.

    Check out this video of The Elite saying farewell to Ring of Honor, courtesy of Youtube user Joseph Santangelo.

  • The Briscoe Brothers Win Ladder War VII At Final Battle 2018

    The Briscoe Brothers Win Ladder War VII At Final Battle 2018

    Mark and Jay Briscoe are now 10x ROH World Tag Team Champions. The brothers defeated SCU (Kazarian and Scorpio Sky) as well as the Young Bucks tonight at Final Battle 2018.

    After a bloody and brutal Ladder War VII, Mark Briscoe stood atop the ladder in Hammerstein Ballroom with both belts above his head.

    The Briscoes have held the ROH World Tag Team titles a combined total of 1,026 days.

    https://twitter.com/totaldivaseps/status/1073797028491218944

    ROH Final Battle 2018 Results

    1. Kenny King defeated Eli Isom
    2. ROH TV Championship
      Jeff Cobb (c) defeated Adam “Hangman” Page
    3. WOH World Championship
      4 Corners Survival Match
      Kelly Klein defeated Sumie Sakai (c), Madison Rayne, and Karen Q
    4. Zack Sabre Jr defeated Jonathan Gresham
    5. Matt Taven defeated Dalton Castle
    6. Marty Scurll defeated Christopher Daniels via submission
    7. I Quit Match
      Flip Gordon defeated Bully Ray
    8. ROH World Championship
      Jay Lethal (c) defeated Cody
    9. ROH World Tag Team Championships
      Ladder War VII
      The Briscoes (Mark and Jay Briscoe) defeated the Young Bucks (Matt & Nick Jackson) and SoCal Uncensored (Scorpio Sky and Frankie Kazarian

    ROH will tape television in Philadelphia tomorrow. They are then off for the remainder of the year before taping television again in January and beginning the road to the G1 Supercard in Madison Square Garden this April.

  • Jay Lethal Defeats Cody At Final Battle, Retains ROH Championship

    Jay Lethal Defeats Cody At Final Battle, Retains ROH Championship

    Cody will not be taking the ROH World Championship into free agency. He was defeated tonight by Jay Lethal at Final Battle 2018.

    Lethal needed to kick out of the Cross Rhodes twice to retain his championship. There was also a strange moment in the match when Cody had Lethal in a figure-four leglock. Hangman Page ran to ringside and rang the bell. He then handed the ROH title belt to Cody and ran away. The ref immediately waved it off, however, as Lethal had not submitted.

    The finish of the match came when Lethal gave Cody a series of super-kicks and followed it up with a Lethal Injection. Rather than go for the pin, however, he attempted his finish a second time, which Cody countered. Lethal then grabbed Cody’s leg and locked in his own figure-four leglock and Cody tapped.

    After the match, Marty Scurll came to the ring to remind Lethal he is owed a title match as a result of winning Survival of the Fittest in November. Nick Aldis also made an appearance, applauding Lethal from the stage.

    https://twitter.com/totaldivaseps/status/1073792861169217536

    Jay Lethal 57 Days Away From Making History

    In 57 days, Jay Lethal will pass Samoa Joe’s record for total days spent as champion with 645. Lethal has spread out his days as champion amongst two title reigns. Samoa Joe had one 645 day reign with the belt.

  • Kelly Klein Wins WOH Championship At ROH Final Battle 2018

    Kelly Klein Wins WOH Championship At ROH Final Battle 2018

    Kelly Klein has defeated Sumie Sakai, Madison Rayne, and Karen Q in a 4 Corners Survival match at Final Battle to win the WOH Championship. Klein is just the second ever champion in the title’s lineage after Sakai won the inaugural title 8 months ago.

    Sakai had defeated Klein at SuperCard of Honor XII in April to win the championship. She successfully defended the title 7x during her reign.

    Kelly Klein WOH Champion

    The 27-year-old Klein made her pro debut in 2007 wrestling under the name Mary Elizabeth.

    Klein spoke about the possibility of being the new WOH Champion on a recent ROH media call:

    “With me as champion, I’m still going to be ‘The Gatekeeper’”, Klein said. “I’m going to be in a position where not only do I have the ability to force people to prove themselves just to be in Women Of Honor, I’m going to be the keeper of the championship and the face of the division.”

    The Women Of Honor division has grown in 2018 with the addition of the championship. Tenille Dashwood is currently on the shelf with a shoulder injury following her unsuccessful title match against Sakai at Death Before Dishonor back in September. Karen Q, Britt Baker, Madison Rayne, and several others make up what is starting to become a pretty talented division.

  • ROH Final Battle 2018 Results

    ROH Final Battle 2018 Results

    Ring of Honor presents their final PPV of the year tonight from New York’s Hammerstein Ballroom. In many ways, tonight could be both the end of an era for the promotion, as well as the beginning of a new one.

    Final ROH Final Battle Card

    • ROH World Champion Jay Lethal vs. Cody – Main Event
    • ROH World TV Champion Jeff Cobb vs. Adam Page
    • ROH Women Of Honor World Champion Sumie Sakai vs. Madison Rayne vs. Karen Q vs. Kelly Klein
    • ROH Tag Team Champions SoCal Uncensored (Frankie Kazarian and Scorpio Sky) vs. The Young Bucks vs. The Briscoes – Triple Threat Ladder War
    • Matt Taven vs. Dalton Castle
    • Jonathan Gresham vs. Zack Sabre Jr.
    • Bully Ray vs. Flip Gordon – I Quit Match
    • Christopher Daniels vs Marty Scurll
    • Kenny King vs. Eli Isom

    Refresh this page for Live Updates of ROH’s Final Battle 2018

    1. Kenny King vs Eli Isom

    Before the match could even begin, Kenny King cut a promo about how Eli Isom is from the ROH Dojo. King said he doesn’t like “new school”, he likes “old school”. Then King started the match by hitting Isom on the head with a microphone.

    King got the early offense in after attacking Isom before the bell. The youngster fought back and was able to get in a fair amount of offense in. King looked like he had the 3-count after a springboard blockbuster but picked his opponent’s head up before 3. Isom then got some near falls from pinning combinations but King then hit him with a fireman’s carry driver for the win. King then neglected to shake hands with Isom after.

    Winner: Kenny King

    2. ROH TV Title
    Jeff Cobb (c) vs Adam “Hangman” Page

    IMO, this was incredible. Both guys wrestled as babyfaces and the crowd was somewhat divided between them but popped for each guy’s big moves. They both unloaded their extensive offensive arsenals on each other leading to the finish. Page hit a Buckshot Lariat and went for the Right of Passage but Cobb reversed. Cobb then went for a Tour of the Islands but Page countered into a backslide for a nearfall. Page then went for the Buckshot Lariat again but Cobb countered into the Tour of the Islands. Cobb then gave him another one just for good measure and got the pin.

    Winner: Jeff Cobb

    3. WOH World Championship
    4-Corners Elimination Match
    Sumie Sakai (c) vs Madison Rayne vs Kelly Klein vs Karen Q

    Kelly Klein eliminated Karen Q to start the elimination match. Klein gave her K-Power, a fireman’s carry driver not unlike what Kenny King used to beat Eli Isom earlier.

    Sumie Sakai hit Smashmouth on Madison Rayne but Klein kicked the champ out of the way and got the pin on Rayne herself. It’s now down to just Klein and Sakai for the belt.

    Sakai looked to have retained when she hit Smashmouth but Klein kicked out at 2. Klein got a near fall with K Power and again with a power-bomb. She would then deliver a super K Power from the turnbuckle and got the pin to win the title.

    Winner and new champion: Kelly Klein

    4. Jonathan Gresham vs Zack Sabre Jr.

    This was the type of technical masterpiece you would expect from these two. After a match’s worth of exchanging submissions and grappling, ZSJ scored a 3 count on the octopus with a pinning-bridge combination.

    ZSJ didn’t follow the code of honor after the match and Cabana talked about how arrogant he is.

    Winner: Zack Sabre Jr. 

    5. Matt Taven vs Dalton Castle

    TK O’Ryan forced the ring announcer to announce Taven as the real ROH World’s Champion. He even said the title was on the line in his match against Castle.

    Castle came into this match all bandaged up. His 2018 has been about injuries, unfortunately. At one point in this match, Taven absolutely impaled himself on the guardrail from a suicide dive to the outside. TK O’Ryan broke up a pin by throwing one of the boys onto Dalton and subsequently was sent to the back. After that, Taven reversed the Bangarang and moments later hit his impaler DDT for the win.

    Winner: Matt Taven

    6. Marty Scurll vs Christopher Daniels

    The story here is if Daniels wins he gets Scurll’s title shot he earned from winning Survival of the Fittest. Daniels needs to win or he’s gone from ROH. Joe Koff said at Final Battle last year that his contract would not be renewed in 2019, so he had a year left. The story leading up to this match for Daniels has been that he needs to earn the title shot in order to receive a new ROH contract.

    The finish of the match came when Daniels hit the Angels Wings but wasn’t able to connect his hands on it because Scurll had done his finger-breaking spot earlier. Scurll was then able to kick out of the weakened finisher. He then got his knees up as Daniels attempted the Best Moonsault Ever. Daniels kicked out of Graduation but then Scurll locked in the Chicken Wing and Daniels tapped.

    Daniels got a “Thank you Daniels! SCU!” chant after as his ROH career is supposedly finished.

    Winner: Marty Scurll via submission

    Bully Ray then hit the ring and gave Daniels a low blow. He did this likely because he is a bully. He then called out Flip Gordon.

    7. I Quit Match
    Flip Gordon vs Bully Ray

    Gordon made his way through the Hammerstein during his entrance through the crowd just like the Sandman used to.

    Bully tried to get the victory by picking up Flip’s girlfriend who was sitting in the front row and threatening to powerbomb her through a table. This caused Carey Silkin to hit Bully with a kendo stick to break stop him from doing it.

    Flip almost got the submission with a crossface with a kendo stick with an American flag attached but Silas Young interfered. Colt Cabana also made a run in and then the lights went out. When the lights went back on the Sandman was standing with a beer and kendo stick! He took out Young, who had defeated him on ROH television in the build-up to this match. Flip then started repeatedly laying in kendo shots to the back of Bully Ray until he quit.

    Winner: Flip Gordon

    ROH World Championship
    Jay Lethal (c) vs Cody

    Cody wasted no time making sure he was the heel in this match. He cut a promo telling the fans if he loved them (the fans) he’d be on the Madison Square Garden show. Then he faked a knee injury.

    So many things happened in this match. Lethal kicked out of the Cross Rhodes twice. Cody ducked out of a Lethal Injection by shoving Brandi in front of him. Hangman Page came out and rang the bell when Cody had Lethal in the figure-four. Page then gave the belt to Cody and ran away. The ref waved it off as Lethal had not submitted, however. That was strange.

    The finish of the match came when Lethal gave Cody a series of super-kicks and then a Lethal Injection. Instead of going for the pin, however, he looked to go for the move a second time but Cody countered. Lethal then countered Cody into the figure-four leglock and Cody tapped.

    Winner: Jay Lethal

    After the match, Marty Scurll hit the ring and reminded Lethal he has a title match owed. NWA Champion, Nick Aldis, then came to the ring as well. He just clapped for Lethal and then walked to the back.

    ROH World Tag Team Championships
    Ladder War VII
    SCU (Kazarian & Scorpio Sky) vs the Briscoes vs the Young Bucks

    So much to call here. This was a bloody, fast-paced, brutal, and amazing main event. After spring-board cutters through tables, a staple gun, multiple ladder spots and way too much to recap, the Briscoes have won the ROH Tag Team Championships for the tenth time.

    The finish of the match came moments after Nick Jackson was thrown off the ladder through a table (and took a nasty spill) and then Kazarian was knocked off the ladder as well, allowing Mark Briscoe to grab both titles and win Ladder War VII

    Winners: the Briscoes (new champions)

  • Jeff Cobb Explains Why He Signed With ROH

    Jeff Cobb Explains Why He Signed With ROH

    One of the hottest rising stars in professional wrestling is a member of Ring Of Honor’s (ROH) roster. Former amateur wrestler Jeff Cobb currently reigns as the promotion’s World Television Championship. Cobb began his professional wrestling career back in 2009 in his native Hawaii. In 2015 Cobb signed with Lucha Underground, where he worked for three years under the name “The Monster.”

    He has also done work for promotions such as Pro Wrestling Guerrilla (PWG), Progress Wrestling, New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW), and of course ROH. He debuted with ROH over the summer and defeated a WWE-bound Punishment Martinez for the ROH World Television Championship in his first match with the company.

    Recently, Cobb spoke to ROH for their “ROH 10 Questions” segment. When asked to explain why he chose to sign with ROH, here’s what Cobb had to say:

    “I’ve always seen ROH and the quality of wrestlers that have come through there. There is such a rich history of amazing performers and talent that can’t be denied. Also, the relationship with New Japan didn’t hurt either.”

    Cobb will defend his TV Championship against Adam Page at tomorrow night’s ROH Final Battle pay-per-view (PPV) in New York City.

    What do you think of Cobb’s fit in ROH?

  • WWE Interested In Two ROH Stars

    WWE Interested In Two ROH Stars

    Next month will likely be a huge month for professional wrestling news. Several top stars from both Ring Of Honor (ROH) and New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) are set to become free agents in January 2019. The Young Bucks, Cody Rhodes, and Kenny Omega amongst others will be hitting the open market and are looking for a new home. All four men have been linked to Jacksonville Jaguars owner Tony Khan’s new startup promotion, All Elite Wrestling.

    In fact, Cody Rhodes recently said he turned down a WWE offer. So with that being said, WWE will have to shift their focus to other free agents to bring in for 2019. Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Newsletter reports that one star WWE has their eye on is former ROH World Champion Dalton Castle. Meltzer also said Karen Q is on WWE’s radar. One reason for the interest in Karen Q is because WWE is planning to open a Performance Center in China.

    Q happens to be a Chinese-American, and WWE would like to sign more Chinese stars. Karen Q recently participated in WWE’s second Mae Young Classic tournament. We’ll keep you updated as we learn more.

    How do you feel about Castle and Karen Q possibly coming to WWE?

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=toP23En-iAs

  • Final Card For ROH Final Battle PPV on FITE

    Final Card For ROH Final Battle PPV on FITE

    The card for Friday’s (December 14, 2018) ROH Final Battle pay-per-view event has been finalized. Ring of Honor is slated to hold their final pay-per-view event of the year in Manhattan, New York at the Hammerstein Ballroom. ROH World Champion Jay Lethal vs. Cody is expected to headline this show.

    Other top matches featured on this card is ROH Tag Team Champions SoCal Uncensored (Frankie Kazarian and Scorpio Sky) vs. The Young Bucks vs. The Briscoe in a Triple Threat Ladder War and ROH World TV Champion Jeff Cobb vs. Adam Page. The event can be purchased via traditional pay-per-view and the FITE app.

    Order ROH Final Battle now at FITE.tv or below:

    Final ROH Final Battle Card

    • ROH World Champion Jay Lethal vs. Cody – Main Event
    • ROH World TV Champion Jeff Cobb vs. Adam Page
    • ROH Women Of Honor World Champion Sumie Sakai vs. Madison Rayne vs. Karen Q vs. Kelly Klein
    • ROH Tag Team Champions SoCal Uncensored (Frankie Kazarian and Scorpio Sky) vs. The Young Bucks vs. The Briscoes – Triple Threat Ladder War
    • Matt Taven vs. Dalton Castle
    • Jonathan Gresham vs. Zack Sabre Jr.
    • Bully Ray vs. Flip Gordon – I Quit Match
    • King vs. Eli Isom

    What are your thoughts on this match being added to this card? Do you plan on buying the pay-per-view and watching? Sound off in the comment section.