Major Shakeup In ROH

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

The probably came to the SmartMarks and took your name Cheech.

First Kawalimus, now me. At least my name wasn't in honor of a retarded garbageman.

[Scroby 0]

I'm gonna get flamed for incorrect answers, (consider the rest IIRC)

but ROH travels across the US, and has run 2 or 3 Japan tours.

 

They run a Friday and Saturday show most weeks I think. Chicago and NYC are the only 2 cities drawing well at this point.

Then ROH should return to the basics since it sounds like they're losing a ton of money by traveling. Maybe stay in Chicago or NYC, find a small arena or building or gym and just focus on running out of that. Get a fanbase from around the area and grow from there. Maybe even run once or twice a month.

 

I never understood why Indy promotions traveled around that much, especially if they don't have TV. Hell they don't even need TV. Just film the matches for their website and have people pay 14.99 to watch the show either live on their computer or a day or two later after the show takes place.

 

ROH saves money on traveling but makes money by expanding their audience.

[Hunter's Torn Quad 0]

Notes from last nights Observer Radio show:

 

The booker looks to be Adam Pearce. It's going to be 1970s pro-wrestling, with less highspots, shorter shows that are built more traditionally, with 7-8 matches and around 2 1/2 hours long. The babyfaces and heels will be simple and not complex. Cary Silkin felt they couldn't grow any more under the previous direction, and the feels new direction will see growth. Dave feels the problem isn't the style but rather the exposure, or lack of it. The feeling was they had burned people out with so many matches like they have now, but Dave feels the burn out wasn't down to the style but due to the same people over and over again. Is unsure if the proposed news style will do good DVD sales, which is what drive the company. The current form of ROH is over for good, and if the new direction doesn't work, Dave doesn't know if there will still be a ROH. Thinks if ROH does close up, someone will try something new, but probably not in the current wrestling climate. Everyone was unaware this was going to happen, and a lot of wrestlers didn't find out until they woke up and saw the news on the internet. Apparently, Pearce sent out a memo to the wrestlers talking about the changes, and it'll be simple heels and babyfaces with the fans clearly knowing the reason. Dave's impression is that there won't be any public acknowledgment that Pearce is the booker, and even said the memo from Pearce said they were going to 'kayfabe that he's the booker', which Dave found humorous simply because it won't work as people are going to know he's the booker (Note from me: I get the impression the kayfabing is going to be done to everyone, not just fans, which is the part that makes it humorous). Pearce will still be talent, and Dave, who thinks Pearce does the style very well, will probably be a top guy. Pearce had almost certainly known for some time that something was going to happen

[daileyxplanet 0]

Does Pearce still have ties with NWA?

[Hunter's Torn Quad 0]

Does Pearce still have ties with NWA?

He dropped the NWA title to Blue Demon Jr. over the weekend, so I would guess he doesn't.

[daileyxplanet 0]

Ah, the way Meltz described the booking direction sounding like we would be looking at NWA: Ring of Honor.

[The Truthiness 0]

It seems like Meltz is trying to put a scare in to the fans, because he was a mark for Gabe. I don't see the in ring action changing much, just the characters and storylines.

 

It doesn't really matter if Gabe stayed, the inevitable is still going to happen.

[Blade2kxx 0]

Well, there goes the Age of the Fall. No way do they stay as complex as they've been.

[Silence 0]

Well, there goes the Age of the Fall. No way do they stay as complex as they've been.

 

Disbanded or they just start getting cheap heat by saying how much they hate the fans instead of babbling on about a "revolution"?

[Blade2kxx 0]

Well, there goes the Age of the Fall. No way do they stay as complex as they've been.

 

Disbanded or they just start getting cheap heat by saying how much they hate the fans instead of babbling on about a "revolution"?

 

It's a shame. I liked that they were basically giving the fans a choice to cheer or boo. Sure, they were heels, but the best heels believe that they are correct, and they were so good they have others believing it.

 

BTW, I'm posting this IN my AotF shirt that I picked up at the ECW Arena show. So, I may be biased.

[Hawkius Maximus 0]

Age of the Fall might have been a good stable if they would have ever presented a good reason for why they were together, what they were against, and what their general goal was and how ROH connected to it.

 

I never saw any of that. Nor have I ever seen anyone tell me what any of that way. If they did at some show, I never saw it, but please tell me.

 

If they never said any of that, then it's not a good storyline.

[King Cucaracha 0]

The booker looks to be Adam Pearce. It's going to be 1970s pro-wrestling,

 

See, I've seen Samoa Joe announced as coming back for a one-shot and Necro Butcher versus Brodie Lee booked since Gabe's gone, so I wouldn't buy into that straight away. Seems like the majority of people are simply assuming that's what'll happen, since that's how Pearce works in the ring. They see Pearce wrestle and assume ROH's going to be like old school Memphis or something.

 

with less highspots, shorter shows that are built more traditionally, with 7-8 matches and around 2 1/2 hours long. The babyfaces and heels will be simple and not complex.

 

Good. ROH shows tend to be pretty draining to watch, the vast majority of guys work too similarly (I wouldn't say ROH is all headdrops and hard kicks, but there's an awful lot of it) and I couldn't tell you allignments for a lot of the roster.

 

 

My only worry so far, besides ROH fans turning on everything before a show's even happened just because Gabe's gone, is what Pearce does with himself. If he puts himself high up the card, as some many bookers seem to do, people are going to turn on him and ROH at the first opportunity.

[Obi Chris Kenobi 0]

The feeling I get read forums is that people are already turning on ROH, though it may just be ROH haters in general lapping it up.

[SamoaRowe 0]

The feeling I get read forums is that people are already turning on ROH, though it may just be ROH haters in general lapping it up.

 

I'd say a little of both.

 

I'm reserving my judgment until we start to see some new results and perhaps even a DVD or two.

[The Ghost of bps21 0]

I would actually welcome a change to a slowed down product. My only problem with ROH has been that I get way too burned out by the end of the shows.

[Dobbs 3K 0]

Man, I remember seeing Pearce wrestle on an indy show in Whitewater about ten years ago, and being bored of him. I saw a guy with a good look who was OK on the mic, but was absolutely boring in the ring. I remember being mad because his shirt mentioned powerbombing people, and I think the most exciting move he did in that match was maybe a bodyslam or vertical suplex. Oh well, that was about ten years ago.

[Silence 0]

Man, I remember seeing Pearce wrestle on an indy show in Whitewater about ten years ago, and being bored of him. I saw a guy with a good look who was OK on the mic, but was absolutely boring in the ring. I remember being mad because his shirt mentioned powerbombing people, and I think the most exciting move he did in that match was maybe a bodyslam or vertical suplex. Oh well, that was about ten years ago.

 

Now he uses a piledriver as a finisher. Not much of a step up.

[DangerousDamon 0]

Man, I remember seeing Pearce wrestle on an indy show in Whitewater about ten years ago, and being bored of him. I saw a guy with a good look who was OK on the mic, but was absolutely boring in the ring. I remember being mad because his shirt mentioned powerbombing people, and I think the most exciting move he did in that match was maybe a bodyslam or vertical suplex. Oh well, that was about ten years ago.

 

Now he uses a piledriver as a finisher. Not much of a step up.

Don't forget the deadly SPLASH.

[Silence 0]

I wonder if he thinks his "THIS IS WHERE THE POWER LIES" gesture counts as a move?

[King Cucaracha 0]

Credit ROH Newswire:

 

October 29th: ROH officials are happy to announce a working relationship with the IWS promotion (www.syndicatewrestling.com). To that end, on November 7 in Montreal, ROH is happy to welcome the talents of Dan Paysan, Exess, Stupefied, and the Green Phantom! We look forward to seeing these four men in action in Montreal!

 

I can safely say that Stupified in particular is about as far away from 1970s pro wrestling as they could have gotten.

 

Don't judge the book(er) by it's cover?

[DangerousDamon 0]

Credit ROH Newswire:

 

October 29th: ROH officials are happy to announce a working relationship with the IWS promotion (www.syndicatewrestling.com). To that end, on November 7 in Montreal, ROH is happy to welcome the talents of Dan Paysan, Exess, Stupefied, and the Green Phantom! We look forward to seeing these four men in action in Montreal!

 

I can safely say that Stupified in particular is about as far away from 1970s pro wrestling as they could have gotten.

 

Don't judge the book(er) by it's cover?

 

I'm thinking that the alliances will be more Black and White. However, the wrestlers might continue to use the styles that made them popular.

[DrVenkman PhD 0]

Credit ROH Newswire:

 

October 29th: ROH officials are happy to announce a working relationship with the IWS promotion (www.syndicatewrestling.com). To that end, on November 7 in Montreal, ROH is happy to welcome the talents of Dan Paysan, Exess, Stupefied, and the Green Phantom! We look forward to seeing these four men in action in Montreal!

 

I can safely say that Stupified in particular is about as far away from 1970s pro wrestling as they could have gotten.

 

Don't judge the book(er) by it's cover?

 

I'm thinking that the alliances will be more Black and White. However, the wrestlers might continue to use the styles that made them popular.

 

Here's an excerpt from Monday's F4W explaining the "70s mentality" deal:

 

The new direction under him has been described as a move back to 70s-style wrestling with easier-to-follow storylines, very clearly defined babyfaces and heels, slow-built storylines, and less of an emphasis on highspots and total nonstop action. There was great fear among Internet fans that this meant the ROH main events would become the equivalent of, say, Honky Tonk Man vs. Greg Valentine. We've been told that what this actually means is that the company is going to attempt to institute the changes that were actually talked about for at least a year -- pulling back on the insanity, toning things down a bit, and still presenting great wrestling cards. In fact, the description I was given was essentially something very similar to the last PPV, which I thought was the best PPV the company had ever presented.

[King Cucaracha 0]

Ah, see that better explains it. The problem is I've been seeing a lot of the fear mentioned ever since Pearce was named, from people who don't generally like Pearce as a wrestler.

[Garth 0]

The new approach they're looking to take sounds good to me. I think a little more variety and clear cut faces/heels without removing the match quality would be good news for ROH.

 

I haven't bought an ROH in about 2 years now. I've bought more SHIMMER in that timeframe than ROH. I'll likely pick up some of the new DVDs once the new style is in effect to check it out.

[The Truthiness 0]

Ring of Honor's Hard Lesson Learned: It's A One-Promotion Nation!

10/30/2008 by Mark Madden

 

Ring Of Honor is learning a hard lesson that anyone with even a smidgen of wrestling knowledge saw coming quite some time ago: If you’re not on TV, you don’t count.

 

ROH, like ECW and Smoky Mountain before it, was the niche promotion du jour. But now du jour is over. Witness the removal of Gabe Sapolsky, yesterday’s genius, as head booker and the appointment of indie nobody Adam Pearce in his place. Pearce was chosen over Bushwhacker Luke, so his credentials are impeccable, needless to say. ROH is now going to adopt ‘70s-style wrestling, whatever that means.

 

Sapolsky wouldn’t have been canned if ROH was succeeding, so let’s watch ROH continue its decline while we prepare for the NEXT BIG THING, and then can we watch it fall apart, too.

 

It’s a one-promotion nation, gang. TNA exists only because Dixie Carter is the proverbial money mark, not because it’s self-sufficient. Rick Rubin grew tired of underwriting Smoky Mountain; the same thing will happen with Carter and TNA. Either that, or she’ll move in with one of the boys.

 

Don’t you ROH marks feel stupid now? You so enthusiastically stamped your Siskel & Ebert Taster’s Choice Internet geek seal of approval on ROH only to see it become passé, then collapse.

 

Like every other promotion that appealed to dirt-sheet readers and on-line goons, ROH saw its credibility erode when WWE siphoned off its top talent, then saw its credibility erode further when said talent became jobbers in the big time (see London, Paul and Cabana, Colt). Vince McMahon knows how to tighten that noose, and he has fun doing it. It’s a deadly combination.

 

A promotion like ROH will never be able to keep top talent. A promotion like ROH needs to find quality performers on the fringes of the wrestling business way more often than possible. Eventually, the well runs dry and the promotion starts coughing and gasping. You can’t replenish indefinitely.

 

By the way, ROH fans – if “American Dragon” Bryan Danielson is the best worker in the world, how the heck could something like this happen?

 

That purpose of this column isn’t to gloat in “I told you so” fashion. Well, not the ONLY purpose, anyway. It’s also to point out how hard it is to build and maintain a pro wrestling company in America in this day and age. Guys like Jim Cornette and Paul Heyman – guys with FAR more experience and knowledge than Sapolsky – got their respective companies to a certain level of achievement, then stalled

 

You can only succeed so long as the little promotion that could. You can draw some big crowds as the little promotion that could. You can build a cult following as the little promotion that could.

 

But after you do all that, you have to turn the corner and become big-league or you fade away. It happened to Smoky Mountain, it happened to the original ECW, and now it’s happening to ROH.

 

Companies like this come with an expiration date. ROH was no exception. It’s going to get worse before it gets any better. Except it won’t get any better. When you get right down to it, ROH was never anything more than just another slice of indie wrestling.

 

It’s not a matter of changing styles, or importing top-flight Japanese workers, or relying more on storylines than 5-star matches, or even getting TV. The fact is, you just can’t do what ROH is trying to do. In fact, give ROH credit, because they’ve given it a better run than most. But in the long run, it won’t be remembered any more than Hulk Hogan’s Celebrity Championship Wrestling, dude.

 

That’s because Hogan has TV.

 

ROH’s biggest legacy may be Matt Sydal, who has been amazing since arriving in WWE. WWE changed Sydal’s name to Evan Bourne. That way, nobody will remember who he used to be.

[bob_barron 0]

ROH’s biggest legacy may be Matt Sydal

 

CM Punk?

[King Cucaracha 0]

CM Punk worked for ROH!?

 

Are you sure? They never mention it.

[Jingus 0]

ARGH BLARGH OMG LOL, I LOVE SANDWICHES AND COCK

Reading that, I could imagine that worthless motherfucker saying it all out loud, and once again I wished to throttle Mark Madden about the juglar until he wheezed no more. But then, like always, my natural fear of having my hands be swallowed up and vanish into the fat rolls around his throat pressed itself upon my conciousness and left me shivering in eldritch terror and existential despair.

[dorianb 0]

I think the majority of WWE crowds don't even know that CM Punk ever wrestled in ROH, TNA, IWA-MS, or any other place he's wrestled over the years. I even think that most crowds haven't even heard of those companies.

 

ROH haters may be saying "I told you so" right now, but they are at a big time advantage right now because it looks bad for ROH. I read somewhere that ROH almost went belly up earlier this year because Cary wanted to stop funding. ROH is/was trying very hard to succeed, but I think that just like everything else, they ran out of steam. ROH is losing steam for the same reason they picked up steam and that is their style.

 

The ROH style doesn't appeal to the average fan most of the time. I went to quite a few Chicago Ridge shows traveling from St Louis and I remember being amazed by the show. "Vendetta" had Bryan Danielson vs Roderick Strong and it was amazing to me, but in the end, the match was close to an hour. That's way too much for the average fan to endure, hell, it's almost too much for a hardcore fan. These types of matches are what ROH is all about, but because of that, they will have a hard time trying to bring in casual fans and if they cut match times significantly, they will risk losing their hardcore fans.

 

Those hardcore fans with their ticket sales and DVD sales helped take ROH from red ink to black ink, but in the end, those fans may be tired of ROH or just wrestling in general. It can't last forever and I don't think ROH will have enough money to book venues, produce shows/PPVs, honor wrestler contracts, and other expenses for much longer.

[Mecha Mummy 0]

Also, correct me if I'm wrong but isn't TNA actually self-sufficient now? I thought I remember hearing that they turned the corner financially.