The following is a self-constructed and moderated version of the Ring of Honor 2011 Year-End Awards.
Via creative influence, I have selected seven different MEDALS of HONOR.
The titles of each hypothetical medallion are laid out and furthermore defined.
The Ring of Honor locker room serves as a Band of Brothers, as do all professional wrestling locker rooms. They fight for, with and against each other, and in this case it is in the name of Honor.
Therefore, via creative influence the following will represent and showcase who, or, what I believe to be the most deserving recipients of each one of the titles listed below.
2011 Medal of Honor: The Crimson Heart
(Honoring bloodshed and/or violence)
– A member of the locker room who has been on both the receiving, and the supplying end of vast levels of violent altercations.
Recipient – Rhett Titus
Decision Point – The All Night Express have had a career year. However, it can be argued that Titus made the majority of heads turn towards his fellowship with King, simply based on the physical abuse he was able to sustain and furthermore dish-out at the hands of Jay and Mark Briscoe. Last year, Titus left us with the taste of his own blood, through his exhilarating singles and tag-team performances; but most of all in 2011, he will be remembered for several death-defying, dare-devilish spots, that only we as professional wrestling fans can truly learn to appreciate. Perhaps the ultimate deciding note belongs to the following non-fictional tid-bit of history. Having a woman walk out on their partner during the Ladder War III at Death Before Dishonor IX because of Rhett’s crimson-stain mask, proves how self explanatory this really is. It is clear Titus left his heart in the ring during every career making moment, the deep-red stains were there to prove it. Who bleeds purple anyways?
2011 Medal of Honor: Combat Specialist of the Year
(Honoring in-ring performance)
– A member of the locker room who has displayed the ability to completely differ from the entire roster through in-ring performance; and as a result, has become the promotions most uniquely coveted competitor. This must be handed to the most different or unique athlete on the roster.
Recipient – Michael Elgin
Decision Point – The Survival of the Fittest 2011 outcome has no impact on this verdict. Strictly through his in-ring performance last year, Michael Elgin has ultimately proven to be the most unique competitor in the Ring of Honor locker room. Stylistically and aesthetically, Elgin looks like and competes like no other talent in the promotion. He may serve as a proud member of the House of Truth, however, Elgin may serve as much more in 2012 if more of the Ring of Honor faithful are able to understand, exactly how different and most importantly, how unlike the rest of the roster he is.
2011 Medal of Honor: Campaign of the Year
(Honoring the top feud)
– This hypothetical medallion will be awarded to the feud I believe carried the most intensity. Typically, the ingredients which brew the intensity of a feud, result in a transition from dislike to warfare.
Recipients – The Briscoe Brothers & the All Night Express
Decision Point – The fact that the commonality between each tag altercation featuring the Briscoe Brothers and the All Night Express was extreme violence, brutality and bloodshed almost serves more appropriately where Titus has already been crowned. The fact these two teams battled as frequently as they did last year, only to top their hatred off by delivering the third installment of the promotions, historically most dangerous match, earn these four men the above label. This should thoroughly justify how no other feud that took place in ROH last year, can match the intense warfare that took place between these four men.
2011 Medal of Honor: Mission of the Year
(Honoring the top iPPV event)
– Each iPPV serves as a major battle ground and each of these battles looks and feels differently to the masses, whether it is viewed on screen, or viewed live. To capture the success of one of this year’s most successful missions, this hypothetical medallion will be labelled by granting one of Ring of Honor’s 2011 iPPV events, as Mission of the Year.
Recipient – Honor Takes Center Stage iPPV Chapter One & Two
Decision Point – This can be considered as the most significant team-award available. Successful missions are often accomplished through extensive teamwork, and that seems oddly related to professional wrestling shows. Should Ring of Honor not award itself this particular hypothetical medallion for providing its faithful with two high-quality iPPV events for $20? Arguably, Death Before Dishonor IX and Best in the World 2011 could be given this label. Death Before Dishonor IX was championship-matchless. The Best in the World 2011 had to book one of the top matches on the card to take place as the dark-match; and in addition, the Edwards-Richards drama over-powered the entire event. Not for better, not for worse. In 2011, the two day mission known as Honor Takes Center Stage, Chapter One and Two, has one particular winning factor: The event’s ability to be consistent for 15 straight matches. Furthermore, ROH showed the ability to be opportunistic and take advantage of the promotions most unique setting to date.
2011 Medal of Honor: Best in Class
(Honoring a Rookie or Sophomore)
– A relatively new-coming member of the locker room who displayed and showcased outstanding performances, frequently and consistently, throughout all of 2011.
Recipient – Kyle O’Reilly
Decision Point – O’Reilly has been a highly-regarded and foreseen, Ring of Honor Superstar for just over one year now. He has been a member of the roster for the exact same amount of time. Although several of his most impressive performances in the company have stemmed from his fellowship with Adam Cole, O’Reilly has managed to square off against Roderick Strong, Davey Richards and Eddie Edwards in singles action and make it into the Survival of the Fittest 2011 Tournament Finals. The most impressive feature about O’Reilly at this point in his career is his raw ability to deliver astonishing pro wrestling performances as a singles competitor, and as a member of what may be a future Ring of Honor World Championship Tag-Team. As noted, he has been in the company for just over one year, but yet he has brought a specific style and even some specific moves, Ring of Honor has not yet produced. As a proud member of Team Richards, O’Reilly, this medallion, and sense add up perfectly.
2011 Medal of Honor: Joint Service
(Honoring the top tag-team)
– This hypothetical medallion jointly belongs to the most outstanding tag-team Ring of Honor has seen throughout all of 2011. Additionally, foreseen promise to continue on with the same level of success in the following year must be taken into consideration.
Recipients – The Briscoe Brothers, Jay & Mark Briscoe
Decision Point – Ringing in the new year as the the seven time, seven time, seven time, Ring of Honor World Tag-Team Champions, a hellishly-violent feud that stretched nearly a year, a memorable World Championship opportunity for Jay and a 20-foot splash from the top of a ladder via Crazy Mark Briscoe; need I say much more for the pioneers of the Ring of Honor tag-team division?
2011 Medal of Honor: The Year’s First Lieutenant
(Honoring the promotions most valuable)
– Whoever appeared to serve as Ring of Honor’s most valuable and highly-coveted competitor throughout all of 2011, is the one most deserving of being named as the promotions First Lieutenant in 2011. Whoever appeared to serve as Ring of Honor’s main representative, their sergeant general or commander, is guaranteed to earn this particular label.
Recipient – Davey Richards
Decision Point – Prior to his Ring of Honor World Championship victory against Eddie Edwards at the Best in the World 2011 iPPV, both Richards and his most faithful supporters were more than ready to see him carry this company. Fans from around the world were calling for it to happen, while relentlessly trying to dial in on how and when it would happen. For the most part, your champion carries your company and it seemed as if even though Edwards and Strong held the ROH World Championship in 2011, Richards somehow managed to serve as Ring of Honor’s head representative. He commanded himself to be the Best in the World and ROH adhered to the command. If you are in possession of what truly may be the best in the world, what better way to test the theory by fronting Richards the chance to lead?