ALL PURPOSE CONTRACT STATUS/POTENTIAL DEPARTURES THREAD

[Shanahan]

I wonder what's up with Dalton Castle; and if he's signed with anyone yet. Not sure if he was at the last set of tapings. He could be weighing his options still. I'm guessing he will be signed within the next month though; either with ROH or a new company.

I'm betting he stays with ROH.

[KL_]

What comes to my mind is how much Gresham's role in ROH may develop. I mean, maybe in a few years he will be the main booker. The one with a hope for great times in ROH, like when Marty Scurll was on that place.

[monster mafia]

Ring of Honor is pleased to announce that two-time ROH World Champion RUSH and ROH World Television Champion Dragon Lee have re-signed with the company, and their father, Bestia del Ring, also has signed a contract.

RUSH, Lee and Bestia are members of La Faccion Ingobernable, one of ROH’s leading factions.

The intense, hard-hitting RUSH has been nearly unbeatable since making his ROH debut in December 2018. One of only five men to regain the ROH World Championship, “El Toro Blanco” has been pinned just once in ROH.

Lee, who made his ROH debut in 2016, has held the ROH World Television Title since taking it from Shane Taylor at Final Battle in December 2019. There are few wrestlers in the world who can match Lee’s incredible athleticism.

Bestia, the LFI patriarch, made his presence felt in ROH when he nailed Brody King with a steel chair to help RUSH retain his title at Final Battle in December. Bestia has been wrestling for more than 25 years and has a well-deserved reputation for being one of Mexico’s roughest, toughest rudos (villains).

[famicommander]

About time it was announced.

[McXal]

Glad this is confirmed.

I’ve said it through a number of mediums now - but I can’t think of too many more compelling empty arena performers in the COVID-era than Rush has been thus far. Dude absolutely fills the room. Whilst Dragon Lee is one of the very best wrestlers on the planet right now (although I think his lack of activity in 2020 made people forget that)

(I loved the LFI/Flip vs Briscoes/Brody/PCO main event from this week’s tv. Even Bestia was good value, especially in his fun grumpy old man exchanges with PCO. Now the deal is done I really hope the pandemic allows LFI to appear regularly on TV...)

[BurningHammer]

Great news talent that is very much needed in ROH

[Montana]

Glad to see it become official. Rush is a star; same for Dragon Lee. I seen him once live; and you can tell he has "it". I think once crowds come back; he'll get the response he deserves from the crowd.

The other interesting piece with this.... you got LFI : against Foundation; STP; Brody King/PCO Squad; AND Mexablood! They can really run with some of these feuds. You you imagine Bandido turning heel joining LFI; OR Bandido pulling an upset to beat Rush?? They've got some nice pieces they are building with.

[famicommander]

Kenny King has signed a new deal as well.

[Montana]

Add Slex to the list of those with a new deal. Cant wait for him and Adam Brooks to fully join the roster. I'm pretty confident from what i've seen these guys can be inserted in the main event scene if needed. Imagine they would add value at any spot on the card.

Looking forward to the UK/European talent as well returning; Mark Haskins, and Joe Hendry.

[BurningHammer]

Hopefully Brooke’s isn’t too far behind in re-signing, both add a huge amount to the roster overall. It’s such a shame ROH has lost so much quality because of the travel situation but it sounds like, that at least the Aussies might be coming in soon, if I’m reading Ian’s tweet right.

In terms of singles matches available ROH has some real quality available when everyone and the others being used right now are signed up and maybe a couple more. Then it’s really about the going to be about the tag division and rejuvenating that.

[Shanahan]

If Slex/Brooks/Haskins are coming over in few month we need more than 1 hour with 2 matches a week. Guys are getting lost the shuffle. You have a few top guys who have 1 match and then not seen or heard from for weeks or a month. Josh Woods wrestled on FB pre show on dec 18, then had a match with castle Jan 22, and isn't on next tv show .....unless i'm forgetting something we haven't gotten anything from or about woods (promo,package,update) since then and its going on 1 month.

[BurningHammer]

Yeah I don’t get why ROH isn’t doing taped events as well as the TV tapings surely after Final Battle everyone involved is confident of getting it right. It would just give ROH that little bit extra something to advance storylines keep everyone in mind. While also giving fans something to look forward too. Surely you can just get everyone to stay a day later, or a day earlier to create the time needed to get it done.

Say a 2/2 half hour event like Glory By Honor, with a special 1 hour feature that gives you ‘dream matches’ or matches mixing the rankings just to see how everyone does, say Woods vs RUSH, that could be voted on by fans. Have the event at the end of month and it ties into to everything that happened that month or at least from a previous PPV etc. The special air just for Honor Club every six weeks and when needed swap in a PPV every 3 months going by what ROH is doing right now.

I understand slow build but there is also people forgetting and ROH loosing traction of the moment.

[Shanahan]

Yeah I don’t get why ROH isn’t doing taped events as well as the TV tapings surely after Final Battle everyone involved is confident of getting it right. It would just give ROH that little bit extra something to advance storylines keep everyone in mind. While also giving fans something to look forward too. Surely you can just get everyone to stay a day later, or a day earlier to create the time needed to get it done.

Say a 2/2 half hour event like Glory By Honor, with a special 1 hour feature that gives you ‘dream matches’ or matches mixing the rankings just to see how everyone does, say Woods vs RUSH, that could be voted on by fans. Have the event at the end of month and it ties into to everything that happened that month or at least from a previous PPV etc. The special air just for Honor Club every six weeks and when needed swap in a PPV every 3 months going by what ROH is doing right now.

I understand slow build but there is also people forgetting and ROH loosing traction of the moment.

When Koff was on Apter's podcast he said ROH was taping 4-6 weeks of TV. To add in 1 HC show you would only need to film 6 or 7 matches. You then use tiny bit of the TV show to hype up the HC Show. Why do i have a 1 year vip HC Sub??? Ive seen all the shows and i can watch the tv show on Fite TV. I'm better off just getting it the month they do a ppv 4 times a year. So thats 40 to them instead of i,think, 120? ROH needs to give me a reason to stay.

[famicommander]

I think we're all in agreement that the content output needs to increase significantly.

They should be putting out a 2 hour A show and a 1 hour B show per week and 1-2 Honor Club and/or PPV shows per month. The roster is too big and there are too many titles for an hour per week. Seems like now would be the easiest time to implement this with no touring logistics to worry about.

[Chrisvegas27]

What sucks is stadium doesnt have the first airing of the new episodes because sinclair like local markets does example last weekend episode that aired in local markets just aired for the first time on stadium last night

[BurningHammer]

Yeah I don’t get why ROH isn’t doing taped events as well as the TV tapings surely after Final Battle everyone involved is confident of getting it right. It would just give ROH that little bit extra something to advance storylines keep everyone in mind. While also giving fans something to look forward too. Surely you can just get everyone to stay a day later, or a day earlier to create the time needed to get it done.

Say a 2/2 half hour event like Glory By Honor, with a special 1 hour feature that gives you ‘dream matches’ or matches mixing the rankings just to see how everyone does, say Woods vs RUSH, that could be voted on by fans. Have the event at the end of month and it ties into to everything that happened that month or at least from a previous PPV etc. The special air just for Honor Club every six weeks and when needed swap in a PPV every 3 months going by what ROH is doing right now.

I understand slow build but there is also people forgetting and ROH loosing traction of the moment.

When Koff was on Apter's podcast he said ROH was taping 4-6 weeks of TV. To add in 1 HC show you would only need to film 6 or 7 matches. You then use tiny bit of the TV show to hype up the HC Show. Why do i have a 1 year vip HC Sub??? Ive seen all the shows and i can watch the tv show on Fite TV. I'm better off just getting it the month they do a ppv 4 times a year. So thats 40 to them instead of i,think, 120? ROH needs to give me a reason to stay.

Yeah I think it’s getting that way now, you can only ask fans for so much and too understand so much. I get it that you are very much trying to do the right thing but you’ve already proven a TV taping plus an event is possible, now is the time to keep on doing it. We’ve had probably five to six matches on TV recently that could have collectively been on a YouTube series which would give you greater time to build other things.

I don’t think we should be getting the Taylor title shot on TV without some sort of confrontation or slight build, same for the tag titles being on the line. I think ROH has generally do a very good job of remembering situations, taking us back to moments or additions for certain builds for things in the future but they do need to think about momentum when it comes to these builds. Ala what happened after Final Battle.

Obviously we don’t know what’s coming and they did take a longer period between tapings of January and February. It will be interesting to see if in January they taped an event or it was just more TV episodes to take us through into March, same for Feb. ROH has possible a lot in the tank still to use and for us too see I’m guessing, will the Feb tapings start on TV in March do you think?

[Montana]

My solution is to tape a "live event" / Honor Club show; Every TV taping. Tape 4 week of TV and 1 Live Event show. Your talent is working 1 week every month. You've got all your content for the month; and can build month to month. Maybe certain months; they record like a "top prospect tournament" or Women's tournament as well for HonorClub. I still feel like the pure tournament should be annual tournament; for like a trophy...instead of a belt. (Kinda like King of the Ring) ... So like Gresham would be the Pure trophy holder; until next fall he defends it. Instead of having too many belts.

Just taping 6 weeks of TV ; with no Honorclub events; kind of defeats the purpose of the 10$ monthly HC subscription; ESPECIALLY if you are a long time ROH fan; who's seen all the past events. Might make sense for new fans. (Not to mention only giving 3 months of HC free, despite only airing 1-2 live events in the last 12 months.)

My guess is they plan to ramp things up in 2021... but when?? Maybe when the borders are more open.

[kovs27]

While reading the results of the Adam Brooks vs. Slex match from MCW, why not work out a deal to show ROH talent that are stuck in their home countries as Honor Club exclusives. This way it keeps these wrestlers active in the fans minds until they can come back while providing something exclusive for Honor Club.

[Shanahan]

While reading the results of the Adam Brooks vs. Slex match from MCW, why not work out a deal to show ROH talent that are stuck in their home countries as Honor Club exclusives. This way it keeps these wrestlers active in the fans minds until they can come back while providing something exclusive for Honor Club.

BINGO! Been thinking about this for longest time. Offer some Aussie indy a deal where ROH gets to book Slex/Brooks vs other aussie indy guys.You can do like a monthly 1 hour show. ROH can then plug their company on Social Media/HC or maybe offer them a deal for streaming older or future shows on HC. Get Creative.

[Montana]

Take it for what you will; but looks like NJPW is sending Fin-Juice to Impact. Sounds like NJPW has interest in using the Good Brothers as well. NJPW also aired the dynamite match on NJPW world. So it seems like Impact/NJPW/AEW are all pretty tight now.

That being said, NJPW still uses quite a bit of ROH talent on NJPW strong. Think it makes sense with ROH only having 1 hour of TV now; they should focus on their roster; and establishing some new stars, like they have been. Not sure how ROH will fit into the AEW/Impact/NJPW equation in the future, if they even do. Not sure what CMLL/Rev Pro think of NJPW working with some additional partners. If anything the ROH/NJPW relationship kind of was over-done; and needed to change just to be different.