Tag: ROH

The Great Muta Announced for the WWE Hall of Fame

First announced on WWE’s The Bump on Wednesday afternoon, Japanese legend The Great Muta will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame on 3/31/23, joining Rey Mysterio.

Ric Flair, who will induct Muta into the Hall of Fame, stated on The Bump, “He’s a tremendous guy, a tremendous athlete, a great person, a great man,” and went on to say Muta has a special place in his heart due working with his late son Reid In Japan during his time in All Japan Pro Wrestling.

Keiji Muto, aka The Great Muta, recently completed a retirement tour where he wrestled his last match. The tour included a match against Shinsuke Nakamura on New Year’s Day for Pro Wrestling NOAH. Many assume WWE allowed Nakamura to work the show in exchange for Muta entering the Hall of Fame.

Keiji Muto wrestled his final match as The Great Muta on January 22, teaming with Darby Allin & Sting in a six-man tag team match. His final match as Muto occurred last month, where he faced Tetsuya Naito, followed by a last showdown with Masahiro Chono.

Continue reading “The Great Muta Announced for the WWE Hall of Fame” →

Is ROH Bluffing with HonorClub Relaunch?

A gambler once said you got to know when to hold’em, know when to fold’em, and know when to walk away. Tony Khan’s bid to land a television deal for Ring of Honor (ROH) nine months after purchasing the company yielded an uninspired result.

On the heels of Ring of Honor’s Final Battle pay-per-view event on Saturday, Tony Khan announced the promotion’s HonorClub streaming service has officially relaunched with new weekly television episodes coming soon to the platform.

Continue reading “Is ROH Bluffing with HonorClub Relaunch?” →

Chris Jericho’s Ring of Dishonor

A shroud of dishonor enveloped the ROH Championship when Chris Jericho defeated Claudio Castagnoli at Grand Slam to capture the title. Last Wednesday, Jericho kicked off his 8th world title reign with a successful title defense over former ROH Champion Bandido.

It was a fantastic main event that prompted AEW to immediately offer Bandido a full-time contract. However, the show ended with a despicable decree.

Jericho announced the “Ring of Jericho” mission statement. Simply put, he will desecrate the legacy of ROH by beating every former champion, commentator, referee, and ring announcer.

Continue reading “Chris Jericho’s Ring of Dishonor” →

Thoughts on ROH Death Before Dishonor

Lowell, MA, added another historical event to its pro wrestling resume with the first full-on presentation of Tony Khan’s Ring of Honor with Death Before Dishonor. Many wondered what match would close out the show.

Would it be the World Championship or the Tag Team Championship?

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ROH Final Battle: End of an Era Review

photo credit – ROH

On Saturday, it was an end of an era as Ring of Honor celebrated everything that made the promotion special. Final Battle, a name inspired by New Japan Pro Wrestling’s catalog of defunct events, is usually their big pay-per-view show to close out the year.

This year’s incarnation was bitter-sweet, considering ROH’s scheduled hiatus could be a permanent vacation. It was a fun show with some great moments, video messages from past ROH stars, and two standout matches.

Continue reading “ROH Final Battle: End of an Era Review” →

What WWE/ROH Releases Mean for The Industry

Ring of Honor (ROH) announced two weeks ago that their parent company, Sinclair Broadcasting, is shutting down the promotion after December’s Final Battle pay-per-view and will take the first quarter of 2022 to reimagine ROH. All talent will be released from the contracts at the end of the year but can work wherever they want immediately. 

As a result, over 50 wrestlers are on the open market. Then, last Friday, WWE released 18 wrestlers, thus making the realm free agency a more competitive place. With approximately 70 talents vying for contracted work, the belief that ROH’s hiatus is a permanent vacation, and AEW and Impact signing many of WWE’s prior releases, there are not enough spots to go around.

Worse, for an elect few, their careers are irrevocably altered or over.

Continue reading “What WWE/ROH Releases Mean for The Industry” →

New Champions Crowned at ROH Best in the World 2021

ROH held its first show in front of a live audience in 15 months with Best in the World from Baltimore, Maryland. Five title matches headlined by RUSH defending the World Championship against Bandido. This is the first time two Mexican wrestlers have main evented an American pay-per-view in many years.

Continue reading “New Champions Crowned at ROH Best in the World 2021” →

Revisiting A Night of Thunder

Jushin Thunder Liger announced last Wednesday at a press conference that he will retire in January. Liger, 54, said he wants to wrestle all over the world until the next Tokyo Dome event and hopes to get on the G1 Supercard event next month at Madison Square Garden.

Born Keiichi Yamada, had his debut match in 1984. However, it wasn’t until 1987 when Yamada adopted the popular character he is known for today. Liger was an innovator of the high flying style of wrestling and created the shooting star press.

Despite his age, Liger put on a stellar match where he was denied a 12th IWGP jr. heavyweight title in a losing effort to Taiji Ishimori at New Japan’s Anniversary show. During his near 40 year career, Liger captured numerous championships, won many tournaments and match of the year accolades.

It’s fitting I was working on this blog amid Liger’s retirement announcement. He’s been one of my favorite wrestlers ever since his WCW debut in 1991. I hope you enjoy my love letter for a moment. I never thought I would see.

 

-Jushin “Thunder” Liger vs. Bryan Danielson: Ring of Honor – Weekend of Thunder – Revere, Massachusetts – Greater Boston Indoor Sports Center. May 11, 2004.

WWE acquiring WCW in 2001 meant the end of seeing talent from New Japan Pro Wrestling appear in the United States. That all changed when ROH unexpectedly announced Jushin “Thunder” Liger was coming back to the U.S. for two nights only. One of those nights was in my home state of Massachusetts. Nothing was going to stop me from seeing this show!

For the uninitiated, Yamada Keiichi aka Jushin Liger, revolutionized junior heavyweight wrestling. While known for his death-defying highflying ability, Liger also mixed up his work with mat wrestling and martial arts to make for an exciting all around style.

While Liger was tearing it up in Japan, he made is American debut in 1991 for WCW when he feuded with Brian Pillman for the promotion’s light heavyweight championship. Liger appeared spasmodically over the years as fans were entranced by the red-clad anime-inspired character.

Third-row seats and the purchase of an authentic Liger action figure was all I needed to enjoy the show. The fans came unglued when the first notes of Liger’s entrance music hit the airwaves. Multicolored streamers cascaded the ring to provide the Japanese legend with a little taste of home.

Bryan Danielson (Daniel Bryan) was the perfect opponent for Liger. A five-star match was expected; however, what we got was a five-star show. It was a well-worked competitive match that exhibited how both wrestlers superbly apply their craft. As the match unfolded, things became clear. The goal wasn’t to convince the audience Danielson could win. It was to let Liger shine in all his glory.

Every single person in the building paid to see the masked lion/tiger hybrid. Everyone in the building paid to see Jushin Liger. It was a best of compilation unleashed before our very eyes. We held our figurative lighters in the air as Liger performed all of his signature hits.

Liger’s surfboard submission got things off to a nice start, and he followed up with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. After some time on the defensive, Liger nailed a bald heel Danielson with a thunderous shotei palm strike. Liger would follow up with another shotei in the corner and hit a top rope hurricanrana.

The audience popped as Liger unleashed his rolling koppu kick and delivered his patented running Liger bomb for a shocking nearfall. There was only one move left to make. One hit left to play on the set list. Danielson was propped up top, lifted up, and drilled with an avalanche brainbuster to close the show.

Not only was it a privilege to see Jushin Liger in the ring, but from an insider perspective, it was nice to see a promotion use a legitimate draw the right way. No shenanigans, no convoluted plot. Liger was the reason why we were all there, and once we got him, Ring of Honor produced a marquee performance.

ROH & NJPW Announce ‘G1 Supercard’ at MSG

The days of WWE having exclusive rights to Madison Square Garden are over. Four weeks after ROH was denied entry into MSG, it was announced last Thursday ROH and New Japan Pro Wrestling would hold a joint show at “The World’s Most Famous Arena” on Friday, April 6, 2019. The show is titled G-1 Supercard, which is a combination of each promotion’s marquee events.

G-1 Supercard will be the first non-WWE pro wrestling event ever to be held at MSG. The timing of this show is even more intriguing because it takes place the day before WrestleMania 35  at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. The ROH/New Japan show will also run directly against the NXT TakeOver show at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

ROH CEO Joe Koff claimed MSG had canceled their original date after they received “communication from WWE.” Koff stated the lawyers were handling it from there and the show announcement came unexpectedly with a surprise addition of New Japan added to the mix.

Vince McMahon cannot be happy, as 58 years of exclusivity is now a thing of the past. McMahon was able to block WCW from holding a show in the Garden during the height of the nWo era. The closest WCW came was holding two shows at the Paramount Theater (now known as the Hulu Theater) in April 1993 and June 1996.

MSG has become a costly place to hold events. James Dolan (owner of the New York Knicks and MSG) has consistently raised the fee. WWE hasn’t held a televised show at the Garden since 2011. Former WWE announcer Jim Ross addressed the expensive cost of running the Garden on his podcast stating

“the cost of the TV would far exceed the cost of the gate. We (WWE) did million dollar shows there several times there – that are Raws – but you lose money more likely than not. If you’re lucky, you might break even.”

Reportedly, the combined influence of ROH’s parent company Sinclair Broadcasting and the new president of New Japan, Harold Meij is what opened the doors for the two promotions on April 6.

Tickets for the event will go on sale on Wednesday, August 8th at 10:00 AM ET for members of ROH’s HonorClub streaming service and Friday, August 10th to the general public.

New Japan’s Kazuchika Okada, Hiroshi Tanahashi, and Tetsuya Naito along with “all of the top ROH stars” are confirmed for the show. You know who is not confirmed for the show. Kenny Omega and The Young Bucks as their contracts are reportedly set to expire in January 2019.

ROH/New Japan running a show in the Garden during WrestleMania weekend in the same city is the most significant promotional blow WWE has taken since the demise of WCW. If McMahon wants to play hardball, he can offer Omega and the Bucks an exorbitant amount of money, as their absence would hurt the MSG show. WWE was probably going to make them an offer anyways, but now they have more incentive to do so.

Tickets for this show are not going to be cheap. Every show held at MSG is considerably more expensive than events held in other venues. No matter which way the cookie crumbles, April 6 will be a historic evening. The most important event in the history of ROH and New Japan Pro Wrestling could signal the start of another wrestling war.

 

-ROH & NJPW press release

Baltimore, MD [07/12/18] – For 16 years, Ring of Honor Wrestling has created some of the top stars in professional wrestling, and for nearly 50 years, New Japan Pro-Wrestling has brought Japanese Strong Style to the world. Together, these two companies have delivered world class shows such as “War of the Worlds,” “Strong Style Evolved,” “Global Wars,” “Honor Rising,” and the “G1 Special,” which NJPW has launched as a special kickoff in the United States to their annual “G1 Climax,” known as one of the most elite tournaments in professional wrestling.

ROH and NJPW are proud to announce that on April 6th, 2019, the companies will join forces to present the ultimate wrestling event, “G1 Supercard,” to fans from around the world, LIVE from Madison Square Garden in New York City!

“Three years ago, one of our best fans told me in confidence that Supercard of Honor just didn’t feel “super” anymore, said Greg Gilleland, ROH General Manager. “He was right and we took that to heart with the huge events we delivered in Lakeland, FL in 2017, and New Orleans, LA just a few months ago. With consecutive record breaking attendances, the question became, how can we top that in 2019? More importantly, how can we give the fans more of what they want and what they deserve? The G1 Supercard is an event that can only represent the absolute best possible matches with both NJPW and ROH stars, and Madison Square Garden is the perfect venue for them.”

“This is a historic initiative for ROH and New Japan Pro-Wrestling,” Harold Meij, President of NJPW proudly commented. “This gives us a great chance to expose fans to NJPW in the building which housed so many memorable and compelling matches.”

Already confirmed for this show from NJPW are Kazuchika Okada, Hiroshi Tanahashi, and Tetsuya Naito, in addition to all of the top ROH Stars. This show is set to be massive in magnitude including many matches to be announced with championships from both companies defended. Fans will not want to miss this marquee event at a venue with such an amazing storied history of wrestling.

“We are thrilled to welcome Ring of Honor Wrestling and New Japan Pro-Wrestling to Madison Square Garden for the much anticipated G1 Supercard,” said Joel Fisher, Executive Vice President, MSG Marquee Events. “We expect April 6th to be another memorable night of wrestling at The World’s Most Famous Arena.”

ROH Chief Operating Officer Joe Koff is equally proud. “This is destined to join a long list of historical wrestling moments and where better to hold it than at Madison Square Garden. I am extremely proud of what we have been able to achieve as a company and am very appreciative of how great our relationship with New Japan Pro-Wrestling has become. However, none of this would be possible without our fans, who are truly the best in the world. Madison Square Garden would not be possible without them and for that I am most grateful.”

G1 Supercard is sure to be a historical event in New York City that promises to exceed all expectations.

Tickets will go on-sale on Wednesday, August 8th at 10:00 AM ET for HonorClub members and Friday, August 10th for the General Public.

Stay tuned to ROHWrestling.com for more information on G1 Supercard and other important Ring of Honor Wrestling news. Visit NJPW1972.com to follow your favorite NJPW wrestlers and for any other NJPW news or event information.