What are your faith levels in a Rush title reign?

[Wilson]

It looks like the time is coming for the big Rush title challenge. And his chance of winning is probably good. Is this going to provide some noticeable change in ROH's business?

The closest ROH has come to booking a non-English star like this is Morishima or KENTA, and that was a long time ago, with Rush having obvious differences to either NOAH talent during this run. (Cody's first six months may be the closest analog in recent years.) It really seems as if they're really hedging their bets on him, so much so that I have no idea where the road goes for the main event scene beyond here. What are your honest opinions on Rush being champion?

[Chrisvegas27]

I agree because they can't have win it next month than have a short reign like lose it at final battle or something

[BurningHammer]

I think RUSH will win it in the end, there is no point in signing him to a multi year contract really, do I think RUSH will win it at DBD I think it's unlikely, personally I would hope it's stretch to Final Battle anyway, then hopefully a cage match and make it a win made in passion, strength, blood, guts and glory. You also can extend it to his family like Lee and Mistico involved with Kingdom so there is a lot more to get from this than just say one PPV match. If they are going build to a win at DBD the next set of TV tapings and string of events are going to be incredibly important and need to be well planned out. This shouldn't be a reaction to low ticket sales or crowds, make this win that both guys can live off.

[Montana]

I do think Rush will get the belt, and think it will have a decent title run. I think the matches will be good-great. I think ROH will be inching in the right direction during his reign. I don't see a major swing in tickets sales/attendance either way. I think the biggest factor on attendance is who stays with the company, or who else they add in late 2019/early 2020. Think ROH will continue with quality shows as the months go on.

The biggest piece ROH needs to figure out, is who beats Rush. Seems like you would want a mega star to beat Rush, and be the new kinda face of the company, and who knows if they'll have that when the time is right.

[monster mafia]

Jeff Cobb if he stays.

[BurningHammer]

Naito, would be the guy just as a draw if they would want to put the rights to LOS on the line.

Cobb would be an interesting one for sure,

Brody is another one, Bandido if he stays, Haskins, Williams, honestly if you get the booking right there are a lot of guys ROH can set off in a direction for the title that fans can connect too.

[monster mafia]

wow. naito as roh champion can be tremendous, sadly i cant see that because he is a top njpw star...in many ways wasted buy a top guy.

a storyline with rush in roh can be amazing.

imagine naito vs rush for the wrestlemania weekend, maybe g1 supercard 2.

[BurningHammer]

wow. naito as roh champion can be tremendous, sadly i cant see that because he is a top njpw star...in many ways wasted buy a top guy.

a storyline with rush in roh can be amazing.

imagine naito vs rush for the wrestlemania weekend, maybe g1 supercard 2.

Yeah there really are a lot of ways to go with it. I have no problem with the partnership when it works out for parties and fans too.

In a way Naito is the perfect guy it looks like he will never be the guy but can’t really keep holding the secondary titles. It all depends how New Japan is figuring out their next year and who’s going to be on top.

[kovs27]

I mentioned this in another thread but Haskins in an underdog roll beating a dominate Rush would be a great way to make a new star.

[maxx_powerz]

I'm not going to speculate about attendance, but I've been disappointed in his match quality so far tbh. Obviously Rush & Dragon Lee versus the Briscoes was great. And he's had a lot of short matches due to booking that limited how many chances he's had to "steal the show". But whether it's the Bandido match at the anniversary show, the Flip match at Best in the World or the Dalton match at Summer Supercard, I'd say he's had a few chances to make his mark and hasn't yet for whatever reason. I get that Rush has a bigger reputation, but I'd say in terms of match quality that both PCO & Bandido have had "better" years as far as the new talent. Maybe Hot Sauce & Haskins too.

[Wilson]

I'm not going to speculate about attendance, but I've been disappointed in his match quality so far tbh. Obviously Rush & Dragon Lee versus the Briscoes was great. And he's had a lot of short matches due to booking that limited how many chances he's had to "steal the show". But whether it's the Bandido match at the anniversary show, the Flip match at Best in the World or the Dalton match at Summer Supercard, I'd say he's had a few chances to make his mark and hasn't yet for whatever reason. I get that Rush has a bigger reputation, but I'd say in terms of match quality that both PCO & Bandido have had "better" years as far as the new talent. Maybe Hot Sauce & Haskins too.

This is a very similar read to what I have. My brain has kind of been poisoned by watching too much ROH where I think of someone from Lifeblood or VE as a better fit for champion right now, especially how a champion wouldn't always be the biggest star in the promotion. If I didn't watch him in CMLL main events I would say that nothing he's done so far would make me think he's a sure-fire main event star. But also with modern ROH crowds, it's probably a low risk that they'll turn on him as a babyface.

If they make him perform in more competitive matches maybe he'll start seeming like the promotion's best wrestlers, and I think he needs that at this point to be a company-carrying star. I really am uncertain if him as the champion is a difference-making draw, though I'm even less certain about what matters to the ROH fanbase in 2019 since things have changed so much and will undergo even more changes as AEW goes to television.

[BurningHammer]

I'm not going to speculate about attendance, but I've been disappointed in his match quality so far tbh. Obviously Rush & Dragon Lee versus the Briscoes was great. And he's had a lot of short matches due to booking that limited how many chances he's had to "steal the show". But whether it's the Bandido match at the anniversary show, the Flip match at Best in the World or the Dalton match at Summer Supercard, I'd say he's had a few chances to make his mark and hasn't yet for whatever reason. I get that Rush has a bigger reputation, but I'd say in terms of match quality that both PCO & Bandido have had "better" years as far as the new talent. Maybe Hot Sauce & Haskins too.

He certainly hasn’t had the matches that would be considered amazing, it’s actually my only real worry. I do think with RUSH though it’s going to be about main events having that have a feeling of old school wars with blood, hard hitting physicality, a Buzz Sawyer type. I do think with RUSH it should be about less is more but the more has 1000% given to it, similar to Ishii I think. I would say his best matches have been his with TK, who surprisingly really brings out the best in him. The problem comes where he’s had to just perform a certain way in CMLL, he actually has improved a lot in general selling and creating a match, still a long way to go but it’s going to be about the right match ups now.

Overall I think it’s just about changing the tone of ROH right now, if they are going with him. You would have a guy that people believe should be there and if you have the crowd with him you’ve won half the battle to having a great match really.

[Lynx]

Rush is not a workrate wrestler, people expecting from him some great matches are bound to get disappointed at some point. He is at his best when he either is just killing someone or doing some wild brawl inside, and outside, the ring.

[alexsmellzzz]

Anybody but Taven. Literally anybody.

Taven is a lifetime midcarder holding the same belt that was once held by Samoa Joe, CM Punk, Daniel Bryan.

It doesn't make sense.