Who could be the next ROH World Champion?

[MAXAKASINNER]

The question I've been thinking about over the last month or so is who could and should be the the next ROH World Champion? I've always loved ROH for their long reigning champions and I'm not a fan of transitional champions unless it's needed so I've came to think that Briscoe will hold the title for a relatively good time.

I don't like Jay and I really don't like him being a champion, and I do like Delirious' booking but obviously in late 2013 heading only a few months ago he had a massive blunder with Briscoe vacating it then Adam Cole winning it then Cole losing it to Elgin then Elgin dropping it back to Briscoe.

It would have been perfect keeping the title on Cole, especially not throwing it on Elgin (who in my opinion is not World Championship material) and especially not taking it from Elgin when it wasn't working a making Jay a 2x Champion.

So, logically I began thinking who could the next guy be, the guy who beats Jay? I'd love to see Silas Young come back with a hot streak. A Briscoe/Young feud could be great giving Briscoe's "Man-Up!" Catchphrase and Silas being "The Last Real Man" as well all know that Young can cut a decent promo and have a good match in the ring.

So the question is, who could be the next ROH World Champion?

[enigma89]

I think the next person who deserves a title run is Tommaso Ciampi, he would make a good heel champion.

[Mr. Mojo Risin]

I think the next person who deserves a title run is Tommaso Ciampi, he would make a good heel champion.

I would like Ciampa as well, but he's been booked horribly in light of the Elgin fiasco.

[Wilson]

Jay Lethal seems like the next odds on favorite if we’re looking back on his considerately planned booking. He has been booked strong for a good stretch of time and is being groomed to main event a PPV in a week. Additionally, we all know that ROH will be more amenable to chances when backing a heel World champion.

I think it is a large shame that they are not booking Jay the way they should be. Having no pins or losses in two years is impressive, but it does not mean much when their current program is against the likes of Bennett and Taven. He should get the Steen/Joe treatment. Book him like the Johnny Cash or Miles Davis of independent wrestling—a legend, distant and unavailable. He doesn't have to get the Undertaker treatment, but he can stand to be "Undertaker-like."

[Mr. Mojo Risin]

Jay Lethal seems like the next odds on favorite if we’re looking back on his considerately planned booking. He has been booked strong for a good stretch of time and is being groomed to main event a PPV in a week. Additionally, we all know that ROH will be more amenable to chances when backing a heel World champion.

I think it is a large shame that they are not booking Jay the way they should be. Having no pins or losses in two years is impressive, but it does not mean much when their current program is against the likes of Bennett and Taven. He should get the Steen/Joe treatment. Book him like the Johnny Cash or Miles Davis of independent wrestling—a legend, distant and unavailable. He doesn't have to get the Undertaker treatment, but he can stand to be "Undertaker-like."

Good point. I think what the majority of the people on this thread will agree upon is no world title run with Elgin again.

[Sardonic Artery]

I think Elgin is better now than he's been in a long while.

[Mr. Mojo Risin]

I think Elgin is better now than he's been in a long while.

Are you ready for another run with him as world champ? I agree that he's been more...tolerable, but I'm not in anyway ready for him to be champ again.

[monster mafia]

CIAMPA!

[187_Joeism]

I think Ciampa or Lethal, Lethal right now is the top singles guy of the company with Cole and Briscoe and that is without having the World Title. I prefer Ciampa so they can stablish a fourth top guy if he has a good run as champion.

[Burnside]

I actually think Jay Briscoe is a very solid choice at the moment although he hasn't been booked very well as champ. But he is super over, has a ton of charisma, can cut a money promo, and can deliver strong in-ring work although he's rarely been positioned to do so as champ. Considering he wasn't supposed to beat Elgin, and then wasn't supposed to retain over Cole, but ended up doing both due to extenuating circumstances he has done a very good job.

In terms of who is next, I think you've got three options:

Jay Lethal - Doing the best work of his entire career right now. He and Martini are a main event heel act. They definitely seem to be slow building toward a Lethal/Briscoe match; whether Lethal gets the belt remains to be seen but I'd be fine with it.

Adam Cole - Still one of their strongest talents and the closest thing they have to a total package. Apparently they intended to put the title back on him in December. There are some questions: what will his physical status be, how long do they have him under contract, and do they have something new in mind for him for a second world title run?

Kyle O'Reilly - Feels like a long-shot right now, but to me this is who they should be looking at long-term as the next centerpiece guy. At 27 he has the youth, he's probably the best in-ring guy they have under contract, he has decent size, and he can talk. I would pull the trigger on him sooner rather than later because they will not be able to hold on to him forever. Also, there's only so much more you can do with reDRagon and Bobby Fish is 38 years old.

Ciampa's character needs to be rehabbed yet again because he doesn't have the credibility and he has been horribly booked pretty much continuously since coming back from the knee injury. I do think he can get there, but they need to stop fucking him up. He's not ready yet, even though he could have been by now if they had booked him coherently.

Elgin is much better now but you just can't go back to him yet because the fiasco is still too fresh in everyone's minds. Another year probably.

[Mr. Orange]

I think Lethal should defeat Briscoe in June followed by a face Kyle O'reilly run with the belt.

[ROHFan25]

Anyone other than Elgin/Ciampa and I'll be happy. Definitely think it should be Lethal though. He has the credibility, and has had a fantastic run as the TV champ. Second choice would be Cole because he's the best wrestler in the company.

[Mr. Mojo Risin]

I actually think Jay Briscoe is a very solid choice at the moment although he hasn't been booked very well as champ. But he is super over, has a ton of charisma, can cut a money promo, and can deliver strong in-ring work although he's rarely been positioned to do so as champ. Considering he wasn't supposed to beat Elgin, and then wasn't supposed to retain over Cole, but ended up doing both due to extenuating circumstances he has done a very good job.

In terms of who is next, I think you've got three options:

Jay Lethal - Doing the best work of his entire career right now. He and Martini are a main event heel act. They definitely seem to be slow building toward a Lethal/Briscoe match; whether Lethal gets the belt remains to be seen but I'd be fine with it.

Adam Cole - Still one of their strongest talents and the closest thing they have to a total package. Apparently they intended to put the title back on him in December. There are some questions: what will his physical status be, how long do they have him under contract, and do they have something new in mind for him for a second world title run?

Kyle O'Reilly - Feels like a long-shot right now, but to me this is who they should be looking at long-term as the next centerpiece guy. At 27 he has the youth, he's probably the best in-ring guy they have under contract, he has decent size, and he can talk. I would pull the trigger on him sooner rather than later because they will not be able to hold on to him forever. Also, there's only so much more you can do with reDRagon and Bobby Fish is 38 years old.

Ciampa's character needs to be rehabbed yet again because he doesn't have the credibility and he has been horribly booked pretty much continuously since coming back from the knee injury. I do think he can get there, but they need to stop fucking him up. He's not ready yet, even though he could have been by now if they had booked him coherently.

Elgin is much better now but you just can't go back to him yet because the fiasco is still too fresh in everyone's minds. Another year probably.

Agree with everything in this post. I feel like Cole's run was kind of underwhelming because it was pretty much set in stone that he would be dropping the title to Elgin. Having said that, I'm all for him having another run with the title. I'm a big fan of his work.

Ciampa is perfect except for the clusterfuck booking. Delirious has fucked this guy up so much I don't think he'll ever be taken seriously as a world title threat.

O'Reilly needs to the rub now. He's proven in PWG his worth as a solo act, and while I love reDRagon, they need to drop the belts for keeps. Maybe the singles match against Roddy was the start of this. I would really love to see a long feud with Cole and O'Reilly, either being ROH World champ, as the centerpiece of the organization eventually.

I'm perfectly content with Lethal being the next champ. I agree he's doing the best work of his career and there's absolutely no way I would seperate him from Martini.

[MAXAKASINNER]

I'm perfectly content with Lethal being the next champ. I agree he's doing the best work of his career and there's absolutely no way I would seperate him from Martini.

You see, Martini isn't needed for Lethal as Lethal is fantastic on the Mic himself, but Martini brings some sort of presence and work to him that shouldn't be removed.

So everyone seems to be pointing at Lethal, so my follow is Do you think Lethal could've been champion during his feud with Steen.

[The Dragon Saga]

No, because he is was so bland and wasn't bringing enough to the table. It also would have meant Jay Briscoe wouldn't of had his first reign and he deserved it. According to Kevin Steen in his RF Video shoot before signing with WWE, the plan was always to have Briscoe beat him for the title as far back as he could remember.

[Burnside]

So everyone seems to be pointing at Lethal, so my follow is Do you think Lethal could've been champion during his feud with Steen.

No, he was totally unconvincing doing that "Killer Instinct" stuff. He really wasn't even that over as a challenger, never mind as champ. Ringwork was there, but not the personality.

[KL_]

What about AJ Styles ? I know that he has what to do in NJPW, but maybe ROH would cut a deal with them. I think it wouldn't be a bad idea to think about AJ Styles as IWGP Heavyweight Champion and ROH World Champion. Styles is a big star and I think it's reliable him pinning Jay Briscoe. This distinction is really something, so maybe ROH and NJPW could reach an agreement about him. And later, when someone beat Styles for the ROH World title, already has a big start.

[Wilson]

Lethal was booked very flatly in his first years in the company. I can’t yet say with certainty if Lethal does or does not need Martini—I always thought he was capable as a wrestler and a character—but I would not be willing to take the chance. After putting a few years in the company, it is apparent to me that Martini is worth his weight in gold. Great character, great promo, great manager work, and a pretty damn skippy booker.

Spoiler: show

Martini should be World Champ.

[MAXAKASINNER]

Lethal was booked very flatly in his first years in the company. I can’t yet say with certainty if Lethal does or does not need Martini—I always thought he was capable as a wrestler and a character—but I would not be willing to take the chance. After putting a few years in the company, it is apparent to me that Martini is worth his weight in gold. Great character, great promo, great manager work, and a pretty damn skippy booker.

Spoiler: show

Martini should be World Champ.

Wilson you'd be right but the downside is that

Spoiler: show

Martini can't bump

[Mr. Mojo Risin]

Truth Martini annoyed me when her first got to ROH. Lethal was droll when he first came back. Somehow, the union between these two has provided the best work of Lethal's career. So no, Lethal didn't deserve the belt in the feud with Steen. Now is the perfect time to pull the trigger on a Lethal world title run.