Via creative influence, the following has been constructed to showcase what I believe to be the most noteworthy subjects 2011 has provided for Ring of Honor Wrestling.
“The special animal is given a new owner” – Cary Silkin sells Ring of Honor to Sinclair Broadcasting
Cary Silkin served as the owner of Ring of Honor Wrestling from 2004 – 2011. This year, he sold the company to Joe Koff and the Sinclair Broadcast Group. The sale has provided Ring of Honor fans with the most accessible viewing options the promotion has ever been able to provide. These facts lean to why it could be considered as the number one note to be made in 2011 for Ring of Honor. The following is an excerpt from an interview I conducted with the former ROH Owner. (Full interview is available here at PWPonderings)
Silkin – “The fact that despite relinquishing ownership, Sinclair welcomed me; is gratifying because on a personal level I want to see Ring of Honor do well…For anyone who is and has been here, there was a commonality: wanting it to be a SPECIAL ANIMAL…I couldn’t provide what is being provided by Sinclair. They are a major player and got the bullets we need. I am happy to take the ride and this is not nerve racking or anything like that, it is exciting…This is something I always will and have been saying to the fans: Ring of Honor is in good hands and the integrity of the product is NOT being compromised at all.”
This may not only be the most honorable note in 2011 for Ring of Honor but it may also be considered as the most honorable note in the history of the promotion.
“What it took to be the best” – Davey Richards vs. Eddie Edwards (Best in the World 2011)
The following is an excerpt from a column I composed for rohwrestling.com in June. It remains as an accurate way to explain the enormity and quality of the match. Most importantly the passage explains how meaningful this match was to not only Davey Richards, but to Ring of Honor in 2011.
“These two warriors competed in combat to create the awe-inspiring demolition of expectations needed to claim the label: THE BEST in the world. Techniques and procedures of war were clearly demonstrated as both men displayed the science of combat. Both world-class-superstars tapered the definition of triumph and victory, of being THE BEST in the world, to beating one another…Richards is the new RING OF HONOR WOLRD CHAMPION.
From a vantage-point that suggests I understand the premise of the ROH product; this match and everything surrounding it served the Ring of Honor faithful one of the strongest doses of infatuation to ever be made available since the era of honor began in 2002. Davey Richards captured his first ever ROH World Championship at one of the largest events in ROH history in a match that defined the quality of the promotion. This match proved exactly what it took and takes to be considered the best the world has to offer; and it happened in 2011.
“The ROH Extreme Makeover Home Edition” – The SBG inaugural television tapping in Chicago Ridge, Illinois
It can hardly be argued that the night of August 17 consisted of much more than atypical Ring of Honor action. The new ring, the spot light, various lighting enhancements and so on is what made this night feel like it was inside a building much larger than the Frontier Fieldhouse. The Fieldhouse has served as what some may describe as a second-home to Ring of Honor. On this night the house underwent a makeover that no Ring of Honor fan in the Chicago area had ever been accustomed to. A new era was launched on that night.
“Honor is lost” – Colt Cabana and The Kings of Wrestling
Ring of Honor suffered tremendous talent losses this year. What some may consider to be the best tag-team in Ring of Honor history and furthermore the best tag-team in the world, (this year included) the Kings of Wrestling made their exit from Ring of Honor. The loss is extremely translucent and unfortunately the title of this list must coincide with this particular note. It is more than likely a note that cannot be considered an honorable one. That statement is in no way is an accusation. It simply stands as a way to display the agony all Ring of Honor fans have experienced as a result of three, significant individual talent loses. In this sense, it is simply hard to honor and note the loss, and swallow a sour pill as large as the ones the company’s most faithful have been given in the past. However, the note must be made. This year, Colt Cabana, Claudio Castagnoli and Chris Hero became the newest additions to a list comprised of integral home-grown talent the promotion has watched walked out the back-door.
“The road to the ROH Triple Crown comes to a full-stop” – Eddie Edwards wins the ROH World Title
In spite of having one of the shorter stints as ROH World Champion in history; Edwards is overwhelmingly deserving of being listed here. As the very first Triple Crown holder in the promotions history; the concept itself is deserving of world-wide attention. Edwards has become one of the most celebrated in-ring performers in Ring of Honor and 2011 has strongly backed that idea up. Considering who has laced up their boots in an ROH locker room since their inauguration in 2002; Edwards becoming the first ever Triple Crown holder, nearly 10 years into the promotions history, exhaustingly deserves praise. What I have provided thus far has looked into what I believe to be the most noteworthy/honorable points/notes to be made for Ring of Honor in 2011; but this note is undeniably the largest statistic made available this year.
“The man that can no longer be ignored” – Kevin Steen
The man not one Ring of Honor fan could ignore throughout all of 2011. Enough said.
“Ring of Honor collect more bang for their buck…again” – The Young Bucks
Ring of Honor may have lost various levels of talent throughout 2011 but the voids have already attempted to be filled. One of the most notorious tag-teams in all of professional wrestling as of late returned to the promotion. All of the proof needed to understand why the Young Bucks are willingly and passionately calling Ring of Honor home again, can strictly be seen in the quality of their in-ring performance; instantaneous upon their return. Having one of the most notirouous and fattest rising tag-teams in the world of professional wrestling compete inside of your ring, and furthermore be a part of your roster, is highly noteworthy. Someone deserves a handshake for bringing the Ring of Honor faithful more back for their buck again.
“Another Lethal Injection” – Jay Lethal returns to Ring of Honor
All of the same material relating to the return of the Young Bucks can be applied here. However, Lethal’s return to the company took much longer to take place than that of the Young Bucks. Therefore, his return was one of the most celebrated moments in Ring of Honor this year. The return was capped off with a Ring of Honor Television Title victory over El Generico at the inaugural Sinclair Broadcasting television tapping. (A note in itself)
“Express Written Consent” – The All Night Express
The 9th Anniversary Show, Honor Takes Center Stage, Supercard of Honor VI, Death Before Dishonor IX and Glory by Honor X were all massive shows for the company this year and each of them comprise of headlines surrounding Rhett Titus and Kenny King. How do you propose or relate the concept of express written consent to in-ring performance? Quickly and efficiently, both King and Titus overpoweringly earned new-found consent from several, several times over in 2011. They did this strictly by exemplifying their noteworthy talent.
“If you think God made all men equal…you are wrong” – Michael Elgin
After having the pleasure to view Michael Elgin earn the title as Ring of Honor’s fittest, the Unbreakable has a generous portion of the ROH faithful convinced he is a future Ring of Honor Champion; and that fact may consist of only a tiny portion of what his resume may look like sooner than later. A star was born in 2011. This year Elgin became what he became, forcing us to want to see what he will become.
“Shocking the future” – Future Shock
If you have not been shocked by Adam Cole and Kyle O’Reilly than I highly doubt you have given Ring of Honor a chance; because ROH has clearly given Cole and O’Reilly a chance. Some may feel describing it as a chance is an incredible understatement. What this tag-team has brought to an ROH-ring, at times, appears to be the future of the Ring of Honor tag-team division. Nevertheless, this fascinating emergence took place throughout all of 2011. Exactly as The All Night Express managed to this year, Future Shock quickly and efficiently earned new-found consent from several, several times over in 2011, strictly through intoxicating performance. I confidently feel it has been a long time since a tag-team in any promotion has emerged as heavily as this. More impressively, the time taken to do so is an integral factor as to why this is one of the more impressive features Ring of Honor has had going for them throughout 2011.