Best In The World 2019 OFFICIAL THREAD

[dhads7161]

TNA did it with AJ Styles. If that doesn't tell you it's a bad idea then nothing will.

ROH did it with O'Reilly...

[Thelone]

Show me one wrestling company who puts a belt on a guy if they know they are leaving the company. Doesn't make any sense. ROH can't rely on wrestlers using ROH as a stepping stone.

Except they all do. Out of the 25 world champions in company's history, only four are still there. Now watch the Briscoes leave for AEW because they apparently won't be doing house shows, and the last three are career midcarders who got "elevated" by default because everyone else left and no one outside of ROH gives a damn about them.

[monster mafia]

thelone is back!

[BurningHammer]

They are using the pure rules! Which is fantastic to see it back

I really hope it stays and it really develops to having the title back as it would seperate ROHfrom every other company and alow for much different wrestlers to come in.

One question didn't it used to be two rope breaks per person rather than three or am I miss-remebering the rules?

[dhads7161]

This card is pretty strong on paper. Time to execute it. If this ends up being a good show it could potentially gain back things that have been lost the first half of the year. Time to put the first half behind and turn around here. The talent is there, the question is though is booki g and management there to put it together with the talent.

[monster mafia]

It was announced recently that Silas Young and Jonathan Gresham will meet in a Pure Rules Match at the Best in the World pay-per-view on June 28 in Baltimore. So what exactly is a Pure Rules Match?

For those unfamiliar, this type of match is designed to emphasize scientific wrestling. The latitude referees typically allow competitors to have during “regular” matches is not part of the equation.

The specific parameters for a Pure Rules Match are as follows:

-- Each wrestler has three rope breaks to stop submission holds and pinfalls. After a wrestler exhausts his rope breaks, submission and pin attempts on or under the ropes by the opponent are considered legal.

-- Closed-fist punches to the face are not permitted; only open-handed slaps or chops to the face are allowed. Punches to other parts of the body are permitted excluding low-blows. The first use of a closed fist will get a warning, and the second will be a disqualification.

Pure Rules matches were a part of ROH during the early years of the promotion. An ROH Pure Rules Championship was created in 2004, with AJ Styles defeating CM Punk in a tournament final to crown the inaugural champion.

Wrestlers such as Jay Lethal, Samoa Joe, Nigel McGuinness and Bryan Danielson went on to hold the title. In 2006, Danielson defeated then-ROH World Champion Nigel McGuinness to unify the two titles.

Gresham, who is coming off a strong showing in the Best of the Super Juniors tournament in Japan, is regarded as one of the greatest technical wrestlers in the sport. Young, on the other hand, while certainly a skilled wrestler in his own right, has been a mockery of scientific wrestling as of late.

In two previous meetings between these two, Young -- who is now referring to himself as “The Technician of Honor” -- scored tainted victories by using a low blow in one contest and a hammer to Gresham’s head in the other.

[AlexROH]

They are using the pure rules! Which is fantastic to see it back

I really hope it stays and it really develops to having the title back as it would seperate ROHfrom every other company and alow for much different wrestlers to come in.

One question didn't it used to be two rope breaks per person rather than three or am I miss-remebering the rules?

I'm pretty sure it has always been 3 rope breaks per person.

[Wilson]

They are using the pure rules! Which is fantastic to see it back

I really hope it stays and it really develops to having the title back as it would seperate ROHfrom every other company and alow for much different wrestlers to come in.

One question didn't it used to be two rope breaks per person rather than three or am I miss-remebering the rules?

It's always been three rope breaks, but I can imagine your confusion considering how most matches had some infraction that ended up costing someone a rope break (like an eyepoke, closed fist, not getting out of the ropes quick enough, etc.), so most matches were built with like two actual rope breaks used by either wrestler.

I think pure rules are cool for the spare occasion. Most wrestlers on the roster wouldn't be able make the most out of the meta in those matches and they need special agenting. It would be like seeing a bunch of people who don't excel in tag matches do featured tag matches. Also, I think this is a match that Gresham has been pushing for and they finally gave it to him, not necessarily a sign of a future ongoing series of matches in this vein.

[BurningHammer]

They are using the pure rules! Which is fantastic to see it back

I really hope it stays and it really develops to having the title back as it would seperate ROHfrom every other company and alow for much different wrestlers to come in.

One question didn't it used to be two rope breaks per person rather than three or am I miss-remebering the rules?

It's always been three rope breaks, but I can imagine your confusion considering how most matches had some infraction that ended up costing someone a rope break (like an eyepoke, closed fist, not getting out of the ropes quick enough, etc.), so most matches were built with like two actual rope breaks used by either wrestler.

I think pure rules are cool for the spare occasion. Most wrestlers on the roster wouldn't be able make the most out of the meta in those matches and they need special agenting. It would be like seeing a bunch of people who don't excel in tag matches do featured tag matches. Also, I think this is a match that Gresham has been pushing for and they finally gave it to him, not necessarily a sign of a future ongoing series of matches in this vein.

Thank you Alex and Wilson, I think you are certainly right as to why I was thinking there could have been two rope breaks.

Just on your point on the roster not being equipped to handle a continual set of matches or champions. I actually think the roster could handle but it would need two/three more gifted wrestlers too set it apart. I think Cobb, Haskins, Williams, Taven, Gresham, Silas, Lethal, Isom, PJ (maybe) I actually think a more technical style would be getter for him, could all have successful Pure Rules matches. Like you say though it needs a good brain and agenting to get it all too work but that’s what being a pro and hopefully ROH is all about.

[maxx_powerz]

I mentioned this before, but I mostly found the psychology of Pure Rules matches to be repetitive, so while I would enjoy seeing the gimmick more often than we have (since the title was retired, Nigel/Hero @ DBD in 07 and Davey/CD @ MM 4 in 11 are the only matches I can recall), I think it is better served as a different type of gimmick match particularly suited for the type of company ROH portrays itself to be still than it would be as a title match on every other card.

That said, if they want to do a gimmick where Silas wins and then "buys" the old Pure title (in kayfabe I think Nigel still has after Bryan gave it back to him when he officially retired it, not sure if they'd even be allowed to insinuate that Silas bought it from Nigel or not) and has a 3 month or 6 month arc doing the "defending a non sanctioned belt" bit like Sweeney or whomever used to do before Gresham takes it from him and gifts it to Cary, that'd be kind of fun.

[alexsmellzzz]

I mentioned this before, but I mostly found the psychology of Pure Rules matches to be repetitive, so while I would enjoy seeing the gimmick more often than we have (since the title was retired, Nigel/Hero @ DBD in 07 and Davey/CD @ MM 4 in 11 are the only matches I can recall), I think it is better served as a different type of gimmick match particularly suited for the type of company ROH portrays itself to be still than it would be as a title match on every other card.

That said, if they want to do a gimmick where Silas wins and then "buys" the old Pure title (in kayfabe I think Nigel still has after Bryan gave it back to him when he officially retired it, not sure if they'd even be allowed to insinuate that Silas bought it from Nigel or not) and has a 3 month or 6 month arc doing the "defending a non sanctioned belt" bit like Sweeney or whomever used to do before Gresham takes it from him and gifts it to Cary, that'd be kind of fun.

Hard to see a 6 month arc happening for a midcard feud. ROH got bored with Lifeblood after a couple shows! I think Delirious, or whoever is booking, doesn't care for storylines past a one month period.

This Pure Rules thing is probably just something Gresham and Silas thought up just so they'd have a reason to have a match. They've wrestled each other in like 3 matches in the last few months. I saw the one at the Vegas tv taping and it was pretty good. Actually, one of the better matches that taping, imo. My guess would be, Silas wins this Pure Rules match somehow and then they do a blowoff No DQ/streetfight next month at Manhattan Mayhem.

[Wilson]

Two great back to back posts on Pure Rules matches from maxx_powerz and alexsmellzzz. The Pure Title was something that was unpopular among enough people during most of the belt's activity. Working the rules into a program like this is fine and could even be used for tournaments like Survival of the Fittest's qualifying matches, it's when you make it a common match buries any sort of spectacle it has into the ground.

[BurningHammer]

I mentioned this before, but I mostly found the psychology of Pure Rules matches to be repetitive, so while I would enjoy seeing the gimmick more often than we have (since the title was retired, Nigel/Hero @ DBD in 07 and Davey/CD @ MM 4 in 11 are the only matches I can recall), I think it is better served as a different type of gimmick match particularly suited for the type of company ROH portrays itself to be still than it would be as a title match on every other card.

That said, if they want to do a gimmick where Silas wins and then "buys" the old Pure title (in kayfabe I think Nigel still has after Bryan gave it back to him when he officially retired it, not sure if they'd even be allowed to insinuate that Silas bought it from Nigel or not) and has a 3 month or 6 month arc doing the "defending a non sanctioned belt" bit like Sweeney or whomever used to do before Gresham takes it from him and gifts it to Cary, that'd be kind of fun.

I think this is where you need a variety of wrestlers but also wrestlers that can build the connection where it means something, like this Silas match it has depth and will likely add overall to the use of of the rules. I do think making sure each champion has a different formula to use the rules is important to, it also doesn't have to be used on every show, but I would make sure say the TV title and six man were defended more to balance it all out. I think you can the PPV matches for the title where it's dream apponents or guranteed quality matches, then use the Pure title to either build up newer guys as or as a way to introduce better wrestlers into the company. It's also a title to build fueds from that lead to bigger things, going from the pure title match to say a Fight without honor is really nice journey in my eyes.

[monster mafia]

BREAKING NEWS

DREAM match between Flip Gordon & the undefeated RUSH at #ROHBITW will now air LIVE & FREE for ALL Wrestling fans Friday Night at 8:30PM ET on:

• ROH Facebook Live
• FITE TV
• All Major Cable & Satellite Operators

[maxx_powerz]

Cool idea. Considering how little social media noise a typical ROH PPV makes, this seems like a slightly outside the box way of getting some positive attention. Have to imagine this will probably be the most watched ROH match since G1 Supercard.

[monster mafia]

Colt Cabana is injured, Replacement to be revealed on pre-show at 8:30pm Friday Night.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZx-PLe ... e=youtu.be

[Brada]

really surprised to see them giving Flip-Rush away for free. That should be a really good opener.

[Chrisvegas27]

Probably be James storm is colt replacement

[Wilson]

Colt Cabana is injured, Replacement to be revealed on pre-show at 8:30pm Friday Night.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZx-PLe ... e=youtu.be

For what I thought would be a very simple update, that reel focusing on Cabana's career and his sidelining injury was really effective. Of course there's a part of my brain that says something in this messaging might be a work, but gosh what a way to sell him and kudos to him schlepping to his podcast booth to do a very well-acted voiceover.

Another sore spot for Best in the World, though.

[roacheyyy]

Get Doug Williams out of retirement