Big Pete Posted July 4, 2018 Report Share Posted July 4, 2018 In hindsight, Castle would have been the better choice than Kyle O'Reilly but who was to know he'd ship out around the same time he won the ROH Championship? The story of O'Reilly/Cole was one of those classic ROH rivalries that deserved the main event stage and O'Reilly versus The Bullet Club felt like the best move forward for business. It's a shame that things played out as they did because it knocked ROH off course for a long while. Even though Castle's run left something to be desired, I still think it was the right move for the company. Castle was one of the few home-grown talents who got over with the crowd and his meteoric rise gave the fans something to believe in. These days wrestling fans can be so cynical and like to call every angle or booking decision before it even happens, with Castle there was an air of unpredictability that made following him that more thrilling. So by the time Final Battle '17 rolls around, Castle felt ready and it was clear that this was the guy the fans wanted to see there, not the ROH office, which is who you want the champion to be. Looking at the state of the promotion, I'm not even sure if there was a better option. Most of the popular acts belong to the Bullet Club and it's way too early to mess around with a good thing. Taking the championship away from the stable made for a more intriguing dynamic since it put them in a vulnerable position. I couldn't imagine how difficult the shows would be to sit through if Cody was still on top working like Hunter circa 2002-05 against a bunch of NJPW guys. As for Best in the World '18, it was mostly a ho-hum show with the exception of the Briscoes/Bucks which had it's moments. My only critique of the match was a spot they kept repeating where they'd clash heads and jaw jack in a synchronised fashion. I wasn't sure if I was watching Pro Wrestling or West Side Story. Otherwise it was a well laid out Bucks match with the intensity you'd come to expect from The Briscoes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Migs Posted July 4, 2018 Report Share Posted July 4, 2018 Yeah, I think Castle's run was the right move; there's no way they could have predicted him getting hurt this being bad and being limited. Particularly given the constraints, he ended up having pretty solid run and proved he's capable of working an ROH main event. I'm not really sure what the direction is for Lethal, but they clearly think (and I agree) that the shows are better with the title adding heat to a non-Bullet Club match. I guess it would be interesting to see them give Taven a crack at a PPV main event, but I think you'd need something really strong on the undercard to prop that up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mad Dog Posted July 4, 2018 Report Share Posted July 4, 2018 I wish they would go back to Jay Briscoe. He was the most interesting champion they've had this decade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Pete Posted July 5, 2018 Report Share Posted July 5, 2018 Wouldn't it have been fascinating to see Briscoe win the championship as a heel? Every time he's won the title, it's always been made readily apparent he was a stand-in for somebody else. With his new lease on life and the feud with the Bucks simmering, it would have been an interesting development. In saying, the championship situation highlights the lack of stars on the roster. ROH's reliance on New Japan & CMLL stars have prevented members of their own active roster to get over. So we're seeing ROH turn to a guy like Lethal who's largely been floating around the mid-card since his program with Silas Young. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C.S. Posted July 5, 2018 Report Share Posted July 5, 2018 WrestlingInc.com: Taeler Hendrix Claims Her ROH Career Was Sabotaged For Not Sleeping With Jay Lethal ROH really is a trash factory. In addition to Lethal, ROH has housed such "upstanding citizens" as RF, the homophobic redneck Briscoes, the accused rapist Michael Elgin, and God knows who else. Some great wrestlers and great matches, but if they ever want to truly be big time, they need to get their house in order and do a major clean-up. Probably won't happen since they're owned by the sleazy and immoral Sinclair Broadcasting. Edit: I realize Lethal was also in TNA and I'm sure many other indies with his cosplay act, but only ROH made him its "World" Champion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Migs Posted July 5, 2018 Report Share Posted July 5, 2018 14 hours ago, Big Pete said: Wouldn't it have been fascinating to see Briscoe win the championship as a heel? Every time he's won the title, it's always been made readily apparent he was a stand-in for somebody else. With his new lease on life and the feud with the Bucks simmering, it would have been an interesting development. In saying, the championship situation highlights the lack of stars on the roster. ROH's reliance on New Japan & CMLL stars have prevented members of their own active roster to get over. So we're seeing ROH turn to a guy like Lethal who's largely been floating around the mid-card since his program with Silas Young. I get the goal with bringing in so many New Japan and CMLL guys to help sell tickets, but now that they're moving to shorter shows (a good idea, honestly), they're not bringing in a ton of their own guys and gals for these shows. Silas went from TV champ to not even on the PPV. Their long-term health is really tied to the health of New Japan in the US (maybe that's the bet they're making). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mad Dog Posted July 5, 2018 Report Share Posted July 5, 2018 I think that's a long term loser for them. The Bullet Club stuff will run it's course eventually and they will have absolutely nothing to offer as far as what people want to see. But they need a new booker badly. Nothing is going to change until Delirious is gone and probably Koff is gone as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sek69 Posted July 5, 2018 Report Share Posted July 5, 2018 Maybe, but this seems to be a new era where anyone not signed to WWE can appear anywhere. When even CMLL is open to letting anyone not on AAA TV appear, we're in a whole new world. Even after the Bullet Club runs its course, there will always be guys ROH can bring in if needed. If anything, I'd like to see ROH use their non New Japan partners better. It's sad seeing no one from CMLL get much reaction other than Ultimo Dragon and Dragon Lee. They have some of the best young lucha guys around and it would be nice to see them get more US exposure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mad Dog Posted July 5, 2018 Report Share Posted July 5, 2018 It's shocking to say this but Impact is so much smarter about using guys in the right place and making you care about everyone on the show. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coffey Posted July 5, 2018 Author Report Share Posted July 5, 2018 23 hours ago, Mad Dog said: I wish they would go back to Jay Briscoe. He was the most interesting champion they've had this decade. From an entertainment perspective, he was pretty good. Shame about the Twitter stuff though. Also, I'm not touching the Taeler Hendrix story. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mad Dog Posted July 6, 2018 Report Share Posted July 6, 2018 21 hours ago, C.S. said: WrestlingInc.com: Taeler Hendrix Claims Her ROH Career Was Sabotaged For Not Sleeping With Jay Lethal ROH really is a trash factory. In addition to Lethal, ROH has housed such "upstanding citizens" as RF, the homophobic redneck Briscoes, the accused rapist Michael Elgin, and God knows who else. Some great wrestlers and great matches, but if they ever want to truly be big time, they need to get their house in order and do a major clean-up. Probably won't happen since they're owned by the sleazy and immoral Sinclair Broadcasting. Edit: I realize Lethal was also in TNA and I'm sure many other indies with his cosplay act, but only ROH made him its "World" Champion. I thought the story at the time was Mandy Leon was bullying her and that's why she got sabotaged. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sek69 Posted July 6, 2018 Report Share Posted July 6, 2018 2 hours ago, Mad Dog said: It's shocking to say this but Impact is so much smarter about using guys in the right place and making you care about everyone on the show. Yeah the people in charge in Impact now are doing a really good job (that feels so weird to type), it's a shame the brand is so damaged from years of shit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mad Dog Posted July 6, 2018 Report Share Posted July 6, 2018 It really is. They have a great roster right now. Even the kind of dumb things like Joseph Park/Abyss are well done and compelling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sek69 Posted July 9, 2018 Report Share Posted July 9, 2018 Man, the Cheeseburger/Bully Ray stuff on this week's ROH TV was so goddamn good. Say what you will about Bully, but he is so good at being an old school make-them-hate-your-guts heel. It helps that Cheeseburger is the easiest guy in the business to get sympathy for, but holy shit the crowd was losing its god damn mind when Cabana came out to save him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zoo Enthusiast Posted July 12, 2018 Report Share Posted July 12, 2018 ROH & NJPW are running the Garden on Mania weekend. Would expect it to sell out as quickly as All In did. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sek69 Posted July 12, 2018 Report Share Posted July 12, 2018 Guess this means Sinclair's lawyers flexed nuts and got WWE to back down.  I fully expect ROH's entire roster to get offered NXT contracts in the next 6 months in what will be a completely unrelated move. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hammerva Posted July 12, 2018 Report Share Posted July 12, 2018 And the show is running head to head with Takeover like this year. I know that it is working with Ring of Honor but as someone who choose Kenny vs Cody over one of the best Takeovers of all time I kind of feel like "fool me once shame on me" right now.  They really need to put something big like an important Okada or Naito match because you know the Takeover show is going to be great.  Granted the vast majority of people who are going to this show are going because they saw "new Japan" on the show  Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sek69 Posted July 12, 2018 Report Share Posted July 12, 2018 I have no doubt we're getting the top guys on this show. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jmare007 Posted July 13, 2018 Report Share Posted July 13, 2018 I wonder what kind of new deals Daniel Bryan will be getting from WWE in the coming weeks. Everything seems to point to him not signing anything yet and we are 2 months away from his current deal expiring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zoo Enthusiast Posted July 13, 2018 Report Share Posted July 13, 2018 22 minutes ago, sek69 said: I have no doubt we're getting the top guys on this show. Okada, Naito, and Tana are all announced already. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricky Jackson Posted July 13, 2018 Report Share Posted July 13, 2018 The first Omega vs Okada match outside of Japan sounds like a good main event Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeCampbell Posted July 13, 2018 Report Share Posted July 13, 2018 On 7/5/2018 at 3:46 PM, Mad Dog said: But they need a new booker badly. Nothing is going to change until Delirious is gone and probably Koff is gone as well.  I'm with you as far as Delirious goes. But, what's the matter with Koff? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fakeplastictrees Posted July 13, 2018 Report Share Posted July 13, 2018 I have seen too much of ROH vs NJPW over the last 5 years or so. NJPW and Stardom performers being on ROH shows is pretty much accepted at this point. ROH vs. NJPW doesn't get me excited. What is this MSG show a random TV taping? Been there, done that. With that said, I will be going to this show, so they already got my money, but I would love for them to bring in Impact, Dragon's Gate, Lucha Underground, AAA, and an Ireland/UK promotion that isn't scared to piss of WWE and potentially be blackballed going forward. I would love to see this super show featuring the top ten guys from each of the top ten companies outside of WWE. Its not going to happen, but ROH could easily have the show of the weekend just based on the overall craziness of the card and all of the first time matchups occurring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mad Dog Posted July 13, 2018 Report Share Posted July 13, 2018 10 hours ago, MikeCampbell said: Â I'm with you as far as Delirious goes. But, what's the matter with Koff? I think he's just content with things as is. They need people with some vision, not guys just trying to tread water as much as possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WingedEagle Posted July 15, 2018 Report Share Posted July 15, 2018 Any word on pricing for this event yet? Already locking in the NJPW crew has my attention. I was planning on going to Takeover rather than Mania for various reasons -- primarily not wanting to make a 13 hour day of it on Sunday -- but will have to at least consider this show. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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