My individual and creatively-influenced #RoadToADecadeOfHonor, begins with the following top-10 style list:
“The 10 reasons I honor,” ROH Wrestling, heading into the promotions decade of existence. (Part 1 of 2)
(Part 2of 2: https://pwponderings.com/2012/02/09/the-10-reasons-i-honor-a-decade-of-roh-part-2-of-2/)
The headlines listed below will reflect personal opinion, but for a fact, each subject should/could reflect upon a minority, or a majority of the Ring of Honor faithful.
The title of this post is a simple, but yet a creative way of indicating several key reasons as to why I am, and plan to remain HONORABLE to the product ROH is responsible for producing.
The underlined topics/headlines below point to a general idea behind each reasoning; however, the information attached to the topics, indicate my true motives behind each reasoning.
Lastly, each topic’s reasoning is an explanation for why I HONOR this company through fandom. The list of 10 topics below is easily expandable, however, further expansion would defeat the purpose of the materials connection to Ring of Honor’s 10th Anniversary Show on March 4, 2012.
“Man-Up.” –
The Man-Up iPPV is the first Ring of Honor event I managed to sit through in its entirety. The match that I used to easily consider as my favorite professional wrestling bout of all time is “TLC II,” from WrestleMania 17. Several years after watching the Dudley Boyz, the Hardy Boyz and Edge and Christian, put on a professional wrestling spectacle like no other; I finally found myself forced to contemplate something I never expected I would need to. Does the very first Ring of Honor Ladder War featuring Kevin Steen and El Generico versus the Briscoe Brothers at the Man-Up iPPV Event, surpass the astonishment I once drowned in many years ago? For that very reason I continued to watch Ring of Honor and for the same reason I remain as honorable as I see fit.
“Ole, Ole, Ole, Ole …Ole, Ole!” –
I had seen El Generico perform for Ring of Honor over the internet prior to Death Before Dishonor VII; the back-to-back night event that took my Ring of Honor virginity. However, at Death Before Dishonor VII, the match that marked the instantaneous delivery of my venomous infatuation featured the “Generic Luchador,” El Generico versus Sonjay Dutt. Upon El Generico’s arrival to the ring, signalling the kick off of the two night spectacle, the majority of fans chanted what I now am overwhelmingly aware, is El Generico’s patent. A major sign of fandom develops when a large grouping or individual get behind a specific talent via a chant. Via this instantaneous infatuation, the “Ole’s” that I pelt out at various Ring of Honor events in present day, signify the honor I have for not only El Generico, but for the product he permits that very intro-music to sound for. Now, I consider El Generico as not only one of my most coveted talents in Ring of Honor, but I can now consider him as one of my most beloved talents in the entire world of professional wrestling. Therefore, this has always remained as a significant reason to remain honorable to the Ring of Honor Wrestling product.
“#DemBoyz.” –
Exactly like El Generico, I had seen the Briscoe Brothers perform for Ring of Honor over the internet prior to the event that took my Ring of Honor virginity. Additionally, exactly like El Generico, upon their arrival to the ring at Death Before Dishonor VII, I instantly became infatuated by their appeal. Again, exactly like El Generico, I now thoughtlessly consider both Jay and Mark Briscoe, as not only two of my most coveted talents in Ring of Honor, but I can now consider them as two of my most beloved talents in the entire world of professional wrestling. Regardless of my redundancy, this remains as a significant reason to remain honorable to ROH.
“The honorability of the ROH Tag-Team Titles.” –
It may seem common for you to hear about someone turning their head away from the present-day mainstream wrestling products, for the independent scene, because of the so-called higher “match quality.” The above note can be debated endlessly. Therefore I have never let the above reasoning serve as the base for where my hardcore independent-scene and ROH fandom develop. However, in complete honesty, I do appreciate and HONOR the fact that the use of the tag-team division in the majority of mainstream products, pale in comparison to what ROH provides for its fan-base. As heavily as El Generico and the Briscoe Brothers are responsible for my appreciation for professional wrestling; is as heavily as the Hardy Boyz and Edge and Christian once were. Through a long and sometimes delayed demise of a significant tag-team division in the WWE, my dedication and intrigue behind the over-all product, began coming up short. In Ring of Honor, the fact is, the tag-team division is one of the most important aspects of the entire company. This fact is proven on each and every show, during each and every tag-team championship contest. For this reason, I find it easy to continue honoring the product, by simply watching it.
“Bloody, teary and sweaty-stained honor.” –
The leading mainstream professional wrestling program leaned away from the use of blood during their show. The television rating that the WWE adopted is the reason for the lack of picturesque intensity. Despite attending countless mainstream professional wrestling events, I never witnessed as much human blood, sweat and tears as I have during my time spent as an ROH fan. I can assure you this has nothing to do with the non-PG programming that warrants a wrestler’s ability to bleed during a more “intense” match-up. This idea is connected to my appreciation for the high-caliber professional wrestling product that ROH has adopted over the last decade. One of the main reasons I remain honorable by continuing to watch ROH, is because of my knowledge and respect for the historical ups and downs of this promotion. The superior professional wrestling talent that make Ring of Honor events come together to bleed, sweat and tear-up, because of what it means to wrestle with honor. The promotion has bled, the promotion has sweat and the promotion has certainly experienced high-levels of emotion; and so have all of those who have competed inside of an ROH-ring. One of the main reasons I remain honorable by continuing to watch ROH, is because of what the blood, the sweat and tears have, and will continue to symbolize. I may find myself wanting this company to succeed as much as those who have bled, sweat and cried for it.
The above list is comprised to supply the reader with a sense of why, or what has motivated me to become so desperately infatuated by Ring of Honor Wrestling. Regardless, each of the topics above directly relate to reasons that suggest why I would rather have this company reach its death, before I commit any act of dishonor towards it.
The above headlines warrant and/or have warranted my desire to view Ring of Honor Wrestling, as an honorable fan of the product they provide.
Stay tuned for part two of this post, for the additional 5 reasons that cap off my total of “10 reasons to honor,” ROH Wrestling, by remaining a loyalist to the product.
Part two of this concept will be followed up by a few more top-10 style listings, to honor 10 years of ROH Wrestling.