Post by Deleted on Jul 23, 2015 13:12:51 GMT -5
These were written by Rob B. Just making sure everyone here has a chance to see them.
* * * * * * * * * *
CELEBRATION OF HONOR 2015
Project Leader – Tom Filsinger
Art – Werner Mueck
Stats – Rob Beaubien and Ricky Schmidt
Bios – Rob Beaubien
Special Thanks – Hunter Johnson, Jeff Jones, and everyone at Ring of Honor.
ACH
ROH Debut: "Death Before Dishonor X" 9/15/12
Main Feuds: Jay Lethal, Adam Page/The Decade
Main Allies: Matt Sydal, TaDarius Thomas
Signature Moves -
Fatality - A rope assisted rolling cutter
Air Jordan - Springboard plancha
Dragonfly - Frog Splash
Superhero Grip - Deadlift German suplex
FINISHER –
ACH'S BIG BANG ATTACK - Cradle DDT
ACH is a name that is becoming increasingly familiar to the hardcore wrestling fanatics as he has slowly been building a name for himself since starting his career in 2006. He came onto the radar of ROH officials last year and made his debut live on iPPV in a hard-hitting near upset against Kyle O'Reilly.
Since that debut he has competed in the 2013 Top Prospect Tournament where he fell to eventual winner Matt Taven, went toe-to-toe with Roderick Strong at "Honor vs. EVIL", and recently signed a long-term contract with Ring of Honor. With all the talent in the world and the ability to match-up with any opponent, the sky is the limit for ACH...
ADAM PAGE
ROH Debut: Champions v. All Stars 2011 undercard (January 14, 2011)
ROH Title(s) Held: None, yet.
Main Feuds: ACH, Matt Sydal, Roderick Strong, TaDarius Thomas
Main Allies: BJ Whitmer/The Decade
FINISHER(S) -
ALL SEEING EYE – Page’s tag partner (Usually BJ Whitmer) delivers a reverse powerslam to the opponent as Page catches the opponent with a running cutter
RIGHT OF PASSAGE - Kneeling piledriver from an Alabama Slam lift
Hailing from Aaron’s Creek, Virginia, Adam Page has everything you would want in a blue chip prospect. Trained by the legendary “Boogie Woogie Man” Jimmy Valiant, Page broke in to pro wrestling in 2008.
Through hard work and dedication, he earned himself a chance in a pre-show match on the January 14, 2011 Ring of Honor Champions vs. All Stars card in Richmond, VA. Page teamed with Cedric Alexander in a losing effort to Bobby Shields & Orion Bishop. Even with the loss, he made sure to make a lasting impression.
During 2012, Page would make various appearances and impressed every time out.
His tenacity paid off in 2013. He was invited to by ROH officials to take part in the 2013 Top Prospect Tournament. He faced off with Silas Young in the opening round. He failed to advanced, but earned the respect of the ROH fans.
He made his ROH iPPV debut at the 11th Anniversary show in a six man mayhem match that featured Q.T. Marshall, Silas Young, Mike Sydal and TaDarius Thomas and ACH. Page once again used this opportunity to showcase his hard-hitting, intense style.
In a sign of his growing talent level, he received his first championship opportunity on November 2, 2013 against then ROH World Television Champion Matt Taven. He may not have come out victorious, but many point to this match up as Page turning the corner towards greatness.
The first Final Battle appearance for him came at Final Battle 2013. He faced off with Matt Hardy in hard hitting match-up, which Page pushed Hardy to his furthest limits.
In January of 2014 a group known as The Decade stepped forward. Founded by ROH veterans Jimmy Jacobs, Roderick Strong and Whitmer,
The Decade represents anger and frustration with returning talent to ROH and those who they feel do not deserve their respect. It was Whitmer who noticed Page had something special. Whitmer pointed out Page’s intensity and desire to learn as reasons he stood out.
On March 7, 2014 Page joined The Decade as a ‘young boy’, Soon after he was joined by Tadarius Thomas. Young boys are a tradition in Japan, which involve younger talent handling tasks for veterans while essentially learning their craft. You are no longer considered a ‘young boy‘when the veteran talent believes you have earned their respect.
Page would question Tadarius’ dedication to learning and eventually turn on him in September of 2014. Taking the initiative to get rid of Thomas further proved his dedication to The Decade.
On October 25, 2014 in Lakeland, Florida, During a six man tag team matchup featuring Strong, Whitmer and Page against Caprice Coleman, Will Ferrara and Tadarius Thomas. Page attempted to give Roderick Strong a steel chair to use during a match and Strong threw it down, Caprice rolled Strong up for the win. Strong didn’t agree with Page trying to assert himself and attempted to handle the situation. BJ Whitmer and Page would then attack Strong. They announced that Strong was no longer in The Decade.
BJ Whitmer followed this up by approving Page as a full fledge member of The Decade.
He would go on to face Roderick Strong in a hard hitting match at Final Battle 2014. While Page did not win, he most certainly earned the respect of veteran Strong.
No longer just a prospect, it is very fair to say Adam Page has a future as a main event superstar in Ring of Honor!
DALTON CASTLE
ROH Debut: 05/11/2013 Dragons Reign
ROH Title(s) Held: None, yet.
Main Feuds: Donovan Dijak, Silas Young
Main Allies: His “Boys.”
FINISHER –
DEAD-LIFT POWERBOMB – Castle displays his surprising power and impressive mat wrestling prowess with this effective finisher.
Unique, different and ostentatious are just some of the words one can use to describe Dalton Castle. He is, however, almost impossible to define!
Dalton Castle has arrived in ROH and he ready to show why he is the most entertaining man in professional wrestling. Known as the “24/7 party”, when Castle isn't in a ring he commands the attention of any audience that's present! Whether it’s hosting a drive time radio show, as he has done in the past, or commanding a room with his mere presence, he is not someone you can take your eyes off of.
As a professional wrestler he has seen success in the Northeast where he has won numerous local championships. The product of Upstate New York made his ROH debut in May of 2013 at Dragon’s Reign. His attendance at a Ring of Honor Training Camp/Seminar led to an invitation to the 2015 Top Prospect Tournament. He dropped jaws with his elaborate Liberace-like entrance, complete with his 2 “boys” who are used as stairs, a human bench or anything else he so desires. He lost in the opening round to the inspirational Ashley Sixx but he certainly did not disappoint.
Future opponents must be able to look past the pomp and circumstance of his entrance because Dalton Castle is a dangerous competitor for anyone. He is a skilled amateur and NCAA wrestler whose accomplishments include a New York State Championship in Greco-Roman wrestling, a three time competitor on an NCAA All-State Team, and he's even traveled internationally for the World Championships as part of Team USA. This fully rounded athlete is more than a handful inside those ropes.
The hype for him is very real. Dalton Castle is not just in Ring of Honor to entertain, he is here to be the very best. He has his sights set on championship gold and will stop at nothing less. The “Peacock of Professional Wrestling” is a mix of flamboyance and intensity rarely seen. He has a bright future and will without a doubt prove to the Ring of Honor fans that he is everything you read about and more.
DONOVAN DIJAK
ROH Debut: 07/27/2014 Future of Honor 2
Main Feuds: The Briscoe Brothers, Dalton Castle
Main Allies: Truth Martini and the House of Truth
Signature Moves -
The Dijection - Fireman carry lift into a side slam
FINISHER -
FEAST YOUR EYES - An argentine backbreaker rack dropped out into a knee strike while Dijak slaps his leg
Standing 6’8” and weighing 270 pounds, Donovan Dijak appears be the prototype for the future of professional wrestling. With a strong showing at a Ring of Honor tryout camp, Dijak showed he was much more than just a physical presence.
As a two sport collegiate athlete, Dijak was confident he would impress ROH officials and ROH superstars with his amazing agility. He did exactly that which earned him a spot on the 2nd Future of Honor show during the summer of 2014.
Proud to call New England home, Dijak is a consummate athlete whose athletic and scholastic accomplishments paved the way for his professional wrestling career. While training to be a professional wrestler, Dijak also studied to earn a Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice.
His goal of making it in Ring of Honor was realized in January of this year. He was announced as the final entrant into the 2015 Top Prospect Tournament. Dijak would not only the dominate the field, defeating Jake Dirden and Ashley Sixx , but would win the tournament by defeating the determined Will Ferrara in the finals!
Dijak earned an opportunity to challenge for the ROH World Television Championship. He signed to face Jay Lethal on Ring of Honor Television for the world to see. Truth Martini would step in before the bell could ring. Martini noted that he had scouted Dijak from his debut and saw a future in him with the House of Truth. The fans of ROH showed their disapproval, wanting Dijak to turn down the offer. Dijak left everyone in awe once again as he accepted the offer and was announced as the newest member of the H.O.T.
It is not often you find a talent like Donovan Dijak. He is a rare mix of size, strength, athletic ability and intelligence. Truth Martini found his 'diamond in the rough' and rightfully sees a bright future in the imposing Dijak. Though his dream of reaching ROH was realized, his true impact is yet to be felt. Martini is statistically the greatest manager in Ring of Honor history and his track record speaks for itself. He has teamed Dijack with his muscle, J. Diesel, with aspirations of adding the ROH World Tag Team Championship to the H.O.T. Martini will without a doubt have Dijak prepared for the ROH battlefield!
Dijak has all the tools needed to be a big time player in Ring of Honor. Whether it's with Truth Martini and the H.O.T. or on his own, he should without a doubt become an impact competitor in Ring of Honor for a very long time.
BRIAN KENDRICK
ROH Debut: February 23, 2002, Kendrick wrestled on the premier show for ROH, winning the match to gain an ROH contract.
Main Feuds: Silas Young, Bryan Danielson, Jay Briscoe
Main Allies: Paul London
Signature Moves:
Electric Mayhem - Diving codebreaker
FINISHER –
SLICED BREAD #2 - A backflip three-quarter facelock falling inverted DDT
A true ROH legend, Brian Kendrick’s legacy goes all the way back to Day 1 wrestled on the premier show for ROH, winning the match to gain an ROH contract.
During his career in ROH, Kendrick was a regular challenger for the ROH Pure Championship, ROH World Title and the ROH World Tag Team Titles (along with Paul London).
Kendrick is best remembered for his noteworthy classic with Bryan Danielson at Best of American Super Juniors in 2005. His most recent ROH feud has been with the wily veteran, Silas Young.
PAUL LONDON
ROH debut: March 30, 2002
Main Feuds: Davey Richards, Michael Elgin and Roderick Strong, AJ Styles, Bryan Danielson
Main Allies: Brian Kendrick
Signature Moves –
Please Don't Die! - London was known for doing dangerous dives to the outside in the early days of ROH
FINISHER –
SHOOTING STAR PRESS – London is the innovator of the SSP, and hits it flawlessly every time!
It had been almost ten years since the legend know as Paul London set foot in the ROH ring, way back at the inaugural "Death Before Dishonor" where he challenged Samoa Joe for the ROH World Title, but the original homegrown hero is back! From his epic "Unscripted" clash with Michael Shane to his heart-wrenching World Title challenges against Xavier and from his "Epic Encounter" with Bryan Danielson to his "Night of the Grudges" classic with AJ Styles, London was one of the men who defined the face of Ring of Honor and now he is back where he belongs!
What a homecoming it is going to be for "The Intrepid Traveler" in the ROH Wrestling Game!
THE KINGDOM
MICHAEL BENNETT WITH MARIA KANELLIS
ROH debut: 2008
Main Feuds: Young Bucks, Briscoe Brothers, the Addiction, ReDRragon
Main Allies: Adam Cole
Signature Moves:
Box Office Smash - Sitout side slam
Side Effect - A uranage
On This Day - A running spear
FINISHER(S) -
GO BACK TO JAPAN - Anaconda Vice
PILEDRIVER ON RING APRON – Sometimes Bennett will push the limit of both sanity and morality with a nasty piledriver onto the hard ring apron.
MATT TAVEN
ROH debut: 2010
ROH Title(s) Held: ROH Television Champion (3/2/20103- 12/14/13)
Main Feuds: Young Bucks, Briscoe Brothers, the Addiction, ReDRragon
Main Allies: Adam Cole
FINISHER(S) –
CLIMAX - Headlock Driver
HAIL MARY - Tandem spike piledriver with Mike Bennett.
Adam Cole, Mike Bennett and Maria Kanellis shocked the world this past Saturday night in Wheeling, West Virginia. They did this by delivering “Matt’s return”, as promised. While all indications were that “The Icon” Matt Hardy was returning to ROH, it in fact turned out to be a completely different Matt.
The Matt who returned was a former Ring of Honor Television Champion. He was a former member of The House of Truth and was last seen in ROH in Brooklyn, New York at Field of Honor. Matt Taven surprised Ring of Honor fans and wrestlers alike and returned as a member of The Kingdom!
ROH officials hadn’t heard from Matt Taven since he announced on social media that he was leaving the company. We were clearly duped. The Kingdom painted a specific picture and went in a completely different direction. Not only were we the victims of their mind games, but the ROH roster was also stunned.
“No matter how smart the fans think they are, they will never understand how truly clueless they are” Said Taven as he was leaving the building this past Saturday. “ROH fans thought they saw the best of me, again you are fools. I am just getting started”
Bennett has revealed that he and Taven have been friends for a very long time, “We’ve known each other since Matt started up in New England”. “As the Kingdom was being formed, we kept a close eye on him. This year he seemed almost lost at times”. “He was trying too hard to keep the fans happy and everyone knows that’s a losing proposition”.”
Cole chimed in and stated “The fans don’t care about me, Mike, Maria or anyone! We watched him, watched as his potential was being wasted and how 2014 was not looking so good. He needed guidance and Mike and I sat down with Maria and we decided he was a natural fit. He just needed to be around the best there is, and that’s when we had Maria reach out.”
“Mike and Adam asked me to contact him Matt after his cage match in Brooklyn with Jay Lethal” added Maria. “Matt needed a home; he needed to be around people who have his best interests in mind. Obviously it wasn’t the fans or even the people he could call friends! Only The Kingdom could provide Matt with the real love and guidance he needs”.
Whatever Maria said, it must have worked. Her charms are obvious and ability to manipulate appear to be second to none. She is a shrewd negotiator and whether it was money, success, guidance or just the camaraderie, Taven accepted and is now part of a group poised to control Ring of Honor.
Adam Cole, Matt Taven, Mike Bennett & Maria Kanellis now comprise a group that has pretty much every tool needed to become the most dominant force in Ring of Honor history. None of these individuals are strangers to titles and every champion is now on notice. Can The Kingdom be stopped?
MOOSE
ROH Debut: 2014
Main Feuds: Cedric Alexander
Main Allies: Stokely Hathaway
Signature moves:
Pounce - Running shoulder block
FINISHER -
SPEAR – Moose finishes his prey with a monstrous spear that knocks opponents out cold!
Standing 6’5” and weighing 295 pounds, Ojinnaka looks to follow in the footsteps of other football players turned grapplers such as: Ernie Ladd, Wahoo McDaniel and Bronko Nagurski as he transitions from the football field to the wrestling ring.
Recruited by Ring of Honor for his agility, power and size, Ojinnaka is an elite athlete. Demonstrating exceptional potential during his Ring of Honor Dojo tryout, he’s touted as a blue chip prospect – a label Ojinnaka is quite familiar with.
Drafted in the 5th round by the Atlanta Falcons in 2006, Ojinnaka spent 4 years in Atlanta before moving on to play for the New England Patriots in 2010. That year, he was part of the best offensive line in the NFL. Ojinnaka would go on to play for the Indianapolis Colts and St. Louis Rams, utilizing his speed and power to become one of the fiercest offensive guards in the league.
After over 100 games and achieving his childhood dream of playing in the NFL, Ojinnaka now hopes to realize another lifelong dream: winning the Ring of Honor World Heavyweight Championship.
Ojinnaka’s quest to accomplish this new challenge begins shortly as he readies to make his debut in Ring of Honor, an organization known for its elite level of competition.
CHRIS SABIN
ROH debut: ROH Debut: 06/14/2003 Night of Grudges
Main Feuds: The Briscoe Brothers,
Main Allies: the Knights of the Rising Dawn (KRD) with Christopher Daniels and Frankie Kazarian
Signature Moves:
Leap of Faith - suicide dive
FINISHER(S) -
CRADLE SHOCK - Cross legged cradle driver
HAIL SABIN - Cross legged sitout scoop piledriver
Chris Sabin is a flashy and brilliant professional wrestler. Some say he is as 'smooth as silk' when the bell rings. With his quiet and reserved demeanor, Sabin has created an aura around him. What is he thinking? What makes him tick? With his recent return to Ring of Honor as a member of the Knight of The Rising Dawn, he has created even more questions!
Hailing from the Motor City, Sabin started his path to Ring of Honor after extensive training on the Detroit/Canadian independent scene. He made his debut for Ring of Honor at "Night Of The Grudges" in 2003, against Homicide, John Walters and Justin Credible. With his flashy, action packed in ring style, he created an immediate buzz.
Sabin would first gain notoriety for his often talked about matches with the likes of Christopher Daniels, Lowki and The Amazing Red. He would eventually leave ROH to pursue different goals. Sabin would find great success competing in X Division matches against some of the very best wrestlers in the world.
He would also find great tag team success with close friend Alex Shelly as The Motor City Machine Guns. The duo made sporadic appearances in ROH between 2005 and 2010. They faced some of the very best tag teams in ROH history in the Age of The Fall, The Briscoes, Austin Aries & Bryan Danielson, The Kings of Wrestling and Kevin Steen & El Generico. They would have varied success but never capture the ROH World Tag Team Championships.
He would break from the tag team ranks and prove to be among the elite in the world as a singles competitor. On July 18, 2013 he would win the Impact Wrestling World Heavyweight Championship. It was a short reign but he proved to be one of the very best bell to bell.
On recent episodes of Ring of Honor Television mysterious hacker videos started airing with specific messages. Three men were present in the videos warning that they have watched the growth of Ring of Honor and have influenced the growth whether it was close or from afar. They informed the world that they could no longer sit back and watch. The trio made their physical presence felt multiple times during the live 13th Anniversary Pay Per View as they attacked numerous ROH stars. The Knights of The Rising Dawn had arrived with an impact.
On Saturday night April 4, 2015 in San Antonio, Texas a masked was removed from one of the KRD and revealed to be none other than Chris Sabin. The former World Champion had returned to ROH in shocking fashion. Sabin cost reDRagon the ROH World Tag Team Championships. They lost them to The Addiction, Christopher Daniels & Frankie Kazarian. As the four competitors surrounded Sabin, Daniels & Kazarian would drop reDRagon by hitting them with the championship belts. They then turned and hugged Sabin to reveal they were the other 2 members of the KRD.
Chris Sabin is back in Ring of Honor. His resume is a little more padded and his experience level is at an all-time high. With Daniels & Kazarian by his side, is it now his time to become the ROH World Champion?
The Knights of the Rising Dawn have made their mission clear. They are not happy with the regime in place. They have informed ROH that with their help, the current regime will be overthrown and replaced with the athletes that they believe deserve to hold the championships. The Knights of the Rising Dawn are the past returning to present Ring of Honor with a better future.
THE YOUNG BUCKS - Nick and Matt Jackson
ROH Titles: The Bucks ended reDRagon's second title reign in March 2014 but dropped the belts back to them in May 2014
Main Feuds: The Briscoe Brothers, reDRagon, The Kingdom
Main Allies: AJ Styles, the Bullet Club
Signature Moves:
NSync - double hip toss followed by a double handspring followed by a double team dropkick
Early Onset Alzheimer's - Double team superkick
FINISHER(S) -
MORE BANG FOR YOUR BUCK - Rolling fireman's carry slam by Matt followed by a 450° splash by Nick followed by a moonsault by Matt
MELTZER DRIVER - A springboard 450 spike tombstone piledriver
INDYTAKER - Springboard spike kneeling reverse piledriver
It's time for a Super Kick Party! For the first time anywhere in their careers you can experience a Young Bucks Super Kick Party in your own home! The Young Bucks are the hottest tag team in wrestling, selling out arenas all over the world with their show stealing, money making, house selling, championship winning style!
The Bucks are ready to battle the likes of Kevin Steen, El Generico, Jay & Mark Briscoe, The American Wolves, Chris Hero, Claudio Castagnoli, Adam Cole, reDRagon, and many more in your ROH fed, starting right now! It’s TOO SWEET
* * * * * * * * * *
CELEBRATION OF HONOR 2015
Project Leader – Tom Filsinger
Art – Werner Mueck
Stats – Rob Beaubien and Ricky Schmidt
Bios – Rob Beaubien
Special Thanks – Hunter Johnson, Jeff Jones, and everyone at Ring of Honor.
ACH
ROH Debut: "Death Before Dishonor X" 9/15/12
Main Feuds: Jay Lethal, Adam Page/The Decade
Main Allies: Matt Sydal, TaDarius Thomas
Signature Moves -
Fatality - A rope assisted rolling cutter
Air Jordan - Springboard plancha
Dragonfly - Frog Splash
Superhero Grip - Deadlift German suplex
FINISHER –
ACH'S BIG BANG ATTACK - Cradle DDT
ACH is a name that is becoming increasingly familiar to the hardcore wrestling fanatics as he has slowly been building a name for himself since starting his career in 2006. He came onto the radar of ROH officials last year and made his debut live on iPPV in a hard-hitting near upset against Kyle O'Reilly.
Since that debut he has competed in the 2013 Top Prospect Tournament where he fell to eventual winner Matt Taven, went toe-to-toe with Roderick Strong at "Honor vs. EVIL", and recently signed a long-term contract with Ring of Honor. With all the talent in the world and the ability to match-up with any opponent, the sky is the limit for ACH...
ADAM PAGE
ROH Debut: Champions v. All Stars 2011 undercard (January 14, 2011)
ROH Title(s) Held: None, yet.
Main Feuds: ACH, Matt Sydal, Roderick Strong, TaDarius Thomas
Main Allies: BJ Whitmer/The Decade
FINISHER(S) -
ALL SEEING EYE – Page’s tag partner (Usually BJ Whitmer) delivers a reverse powerslam to the opponent as Page catches the opponent with a running cutter
RIGHT OF PASSAGE - Kneeling piledriver from an Alabama Slam lift
Hailing from Aaron’s Creek, Virginia, Adam Page has everything you would want in a blue chip prospect. Trained by the legendary “Boogie Woogie Man” Jimmy Valiant, Page broke in to pro wrestling in 2008.
Through hard work and dedication, he earned himself a chance in a pre-show match on the January 14, 2011 Ring of Honor Champions vs. All Stars card in Richmond, VA. Page teamed with Cedric Alexander in a losing effort to Bobby Shields & Orion Bishop. Even with the loss, he made sure to make a lasting impression.
During 2012, Page would make various appearances and impressed every time out.
His tenacity paid off in 2013. He was invited to by ROH officials to take part in the 2013 Top Prospect Tournament. He faced off with Silas Young in the opening round. He failed to advanced, but earned the respect of the ROH fans.
He made his ROH iPPV debut at the 11th Anniversary show in a six man mayhem match that featured Q.T. Marshall, Silas Young, Mike Sydal and TaDarius Thomas and ACH. Page once again used this opportunity to showcase his hard-hitting, intense style.
In a sign of his growing talent level, he received his first championship opportunity on November 2, 2013 against then ROH World Television Champion Matt Taven. He may not have come out victorious, but many point to this match up as Page turning the corner towards greatness.
The first Final Battle appearance for him came at Final Battle 2013. He faced off with Matt Hardy in hard hitting match-up, which Page pushed Hardy to his furthest limits.
In January of 2014 a group known as The Decade stepped forward. Founded by ROH veterans Jimmy Jacobs, Roderick Strong and Whitmer,
The Decade represents anger and frustration with returning talent to ROH and those who they feel do not deserve their respect. It was Whitmer who noticed Page had something special. Whitmer pointed out Page’s intensity and desire to learn as reasons he stood out.
On March 7, 2014 Page joined The Decade as a ‘young boy’, Soon after he was joined by Tadarius Thomas. Young boys are a tradition in Japan, which involve younger talent handling tasks for veterans while essentially learning their craft. You are no longer considered a ‘young boy‘when the veteran talent believes you have earned their respect.
Page would question Tadarius’ dedication to learning and eventually turn on him in September of 2014. Taking the initiative to get rid of Thomas further proved his dedication to The Decade.
On October 25, 2014 in Lakeland, Florida, During a six man tag team matchup featuring Strong, Whitmer and Page against Caprice Coleman, Will Ferrara and Tadarius Thomas. Page attempted to give Roderick Strong a steel chair to use during a match and Strong threw it down, Caprice rolled Strong up for the win. Strong didn’t agree with Page trying to assert himself and attempted to handle the situation. BJ Whitmer and Page would then attack Strong. They announced that Strong was no longer in The Decade.
BJ Whitmer followed this up by approving Page as a full fledge member of The Decade.
He would go on to face Roderick Strong in a hard hitting match at Final Battle 2014. While Page did not win, he most certainly earned the respect of veteran Strong.
No longer just a prospect, it is very fair to say Adam Page has a future as a main event superstar in Ring of Honor!
DALTON CASTLE
ROH Debut: 05/11/2013 Dragons Reign
ROH Title(s) Held: None, yet.
Main Feuds: Donovan Dijak, Silas Young
Main Allies: His “Boys.”
FINISHER –
DEAD-LIFT POWERBOMB – Castle displays his surprising power and impressive mat wrestling prowess with this effective finisher.
Unique, different and ostentatious are just some of the words one can use to describe Dalton Castle. He is, however, almost impossible to define!
Dalton Castle has arrived in ROH and he ready to show why he is the most entertaining man in professional wrestling. Known as the “24/7 party”, when Castle isn't in a ring he commands the attention of any audience that's present! Whether it’s hosting a drive time radio show, as he has done in the past, or commanding a room with his mere presence, he is not someone you can take your eyes off of.
As a professional wrestler he has seen success in the Northeast where he has won numerous local championships. The product of Upstate New York made his ROH debut in May of 2013 at Dragon’s Reign. His attendance at a Ring of Honor Training Camp/Seminar led to an invitation to the 2015 Top Prospect Tournament. He dropped jaws with his elaborate Liberace-like entrance, complete with his 2 “boys” who are used as stairs, a human bench or anything else he so desires. He lost in the opening round to the inspirational Ashley Sixx but he certainly did not disappoint.
Future opponents must be able to look past the pomp and circumstance of his entrance because Dalton Castle is a dangerous competitor for anyone. He is a skilled amateur and NCAA wrestler whose accomplishments include a New York State Championship in Greco-Roman wrestling, a three time competitor on an NCAA All-State Team, and he's even traveled internationally for the World Championships as part of Team USA. This fully rounded athlete is more than a handful inside those ropes.
The hype for him is very real. Dalton Castle is not just in Ring of Honor to entertain, he is here to be the very best. He has his sights set on championship gold and will stop at nothing less. The “Peacock of Professional Wrestling” is a mix of flamboyance and intensity rarely seen. He has a bright future and will without a doubt prove to the Ring of Honor fans that he is everything you read about and more.
DONOVAN DIJAK
ROH Debut: 07/27/2014 Future of Honor 2
Main Feuds: The Briscoe Brothers, Dalton Castle
Main Allies: Truth Martini and the House of Truth
Signature Moves -
The Dijection - Fireman carry lift into a side slam
FINISHER -
FEAST YOUR EYES - An argentine backbreaker rack dropped out into a knee strike while Dijak slaps his leg
Standing 6’8” and weighing 270 pounds, Donovan Dijak appears be the prototype for the future of professional wrestling. With a strong showing at a Ring of Honor tryout camp, Dijak showed he was much more than just a physical presence.
As a two sport collegiate athlete, Dijak was confident he would impress ROH officials and ROH superstars with his amazing agility. He did exactly that which earned him a spot on the 2nd Future of Honor show during the summer of 2014.
Proud to call New England home, Dijak is a consummate athlete whose athletic and scholastic accomplishments paved the way for his professional wrestling career. While training to be a professional wrestler, Dijak also studied to earn a Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice.
His goal of making it in Ring of Honor was realized in January of this year. He was announced as the final entrant into the 2015 Top Prospect Tournament. Dijak would not only the dominate the field, defeating Jake Dirden and Ashley Sixx , but would win the tournament by defeating the determined Will Ferrara in the finals!
Dijak earned an opportunity to challenge for the ROH World Television Championship. He signed to face Jay Lethal on Ring of Honor Television for the world to see. Truth Martini would step in before the bell could ring. Martini noted that he had scouted Dijak from his debut and saw a future in him with the House of Truth. The fans of ROH showed their disapproval, wanting Dijak to turn down the offer. Dijak left everyone in awe once again as he accepted the offer and was announced as the newest member of the H.O.T.
It is not often you find a talent like Donovan Dijak. He is a rare mix of size, strength, athletic ability and intelligence. Truth Martini found his 'diamond in the rough' and rightfully sees a bright future in the imposing Dijak. Though his dream of reaching ROH was realized, his true impact is yet to be felt. Martini is statistically the greatest manager in Ring of Honor history and his track record speaks for itself. He has teamed Dijack with his muscle, J. Diesel, with aspirations of adding the ROH World Tag Team Championship to the H.O.T. Martini will without a doubt have Dijak prepared for the ROH battlefield!
Dijak has all the tools needed to be a big time player in Ring of Honor. Whether it's with Truth Martini and the H.O.T. or on his own, he should without a doubt become an impact competitor in Ring of Honor for a very long time.
BRIAN KENDRICK
ROH Debut: February 23, 2002, Kendrick wrestled on the premier show for ROH, winning the match to gain an ROH contract.
Main Feuds: Silas Young, Bryan Danielson, Jay Briscoe
Main Allies: Paul London
Signature Moves:
Electric Mayhem - Diving codebreaker
FINISHER –
SLICED BREAD #2 - A backflip three-quarter facelock falling inverted DDT
A true ROH legend, Brian Kendrick’s legacy goes all the way back to Day 1 wrestled on the premier show for ROH, winning the match to gain an ROH contract.
During his career in ROH, Kendrick was a regular challenger for the ROH Pure Championship, ROH World Title and the ROH World Tag Team Titles (along with Paul London).
Kendrick is best remembered for his noteworthy classic with Bryan Danielson at Best of American Super Juniors in 2005. His most recent ROH feud has been with the wily veteran, Silas Young.
PAUL LONDON
ROH debut: March 30, 2002
Main Feuds: Davey Richards, Michael Elgin and Roderick Strong, AJ Styles, Bryan Danielson
Main Allies: Brian Kendrick
Signature Moves –
Please Don't Die! - London was known for doing dangerous dives to the outside in the early days of ROH
FINISHER –
SHOOTING STAR PRESS – London is the innovator of the SSP, and hits it flawlessly every time!
It had been almost ten years since the legend know as Paul London set foot in the ROH ring, way back at the inaugural "Death Before Dishonor" where he challenged Samoa Joe for the ROH World Title, but the original homegrown hero is back! From his epic "Unscripted" clash with Michael Shane to his heart-wrenching World Title challenges against Xavier and from his "Epic Encounter" with Bryan Danielson to his "Night of the Grudges" classic with AJ Styles, London was one of the men who defined the face of Ring of Honor and now he is back where he belongs!
What a homecoming it is going to be for "The Intrepid Traveler" in the ROH Wrestling Game!
THE KINGDOM
MICHAEL BENNETT WITH MARIA KANELLIS
ROH debut: 2008
Main Feuds: Young Bucks, Briscoe Brothers, the Addiction, ReDRragon
Main Allies: Adam Cole
Signature Moves:
Box Office Smash - Sitout side slam
Side Effect - A uranage
On This Day - A running spear
FINISHER(S) -
GO BACK TO JAPAN - Anaconda Vice
PILEDRIVER ON RING APRON – Sometimes Bennett will push the limit of both sanity and morality with a nasty piledriver onto the hard ring apron.
MATT TAVEN
ROH debut: 2010
ROH Title(s) Held: ROH Television Champion (3/2/20103- 12/14/13)
Main Feuds: Young Bucks, Briscoe Brothers, the Addiction, ReDRragon
Main Allies: Adam Cole
FINISHER(S) –
CLIMAX - Headlock Driver
HAIL MARY - Tandem spike piledriver with Mike Bennett.
Adam Cole, Mike Bennett and Maria Kanellis shocked the world this past Saturday night in Wheeling, West Virginia. They did this by delivering “Matt’s return”, as promised. While all indications were that “The Icon” Matt Hardy was returning to ROH, it in fact turned out to be a completely different Matt.
The Matt who returned was a former Ring of Honor Television Champion. He was a former member of The House of Truth and was last seen in ROH in Brooklyn, New York at Field of Honor. Matt Taven surprised Ring of Honor fans and wrestlers alike and returned as a member of The Kingdom!
ROH officials hadn’t heard from Matt Taven since he announced on social media that he was leaving the company. We were clearly duped. The Kingdom painted a specific picture and went in a completely different direction. Not only were we the victims of their mind games, but the ROH roster was also stunned.
“No matter how smart the fans think they are, they will never understand how truly clueless they are” Said Taven as he was leaving the building this past Saturday. “ROH fans thought they saw the best of me, again you are fools. I am just getting started”
Bennett has revealed that he and Taven have been friends for a very long time, “We’ve known each other since Matt started up in New England”. “As the Kingdom was being formed, we kept a close eye on him. This year he seemed almost lost at times”. “He was trying too hard to keep the fans happy and everyone knows that’s a losing proposition”.”
Cole chimed in and stated “The fans don’t care about me, Mike, Maria or anyone! We watched him, watched as his potential was being wasted and how 2014 was not looking so good. He needed guidance and Mike and I sat down with Maria and we decided he was a natural fit. He just needed to be around the best there is, and that’s when we had Maria reach out.”
“Mike and Adam asked me to contact him Matt after his cage match in Brooklyn with Jay Lethal” added Maria. “Matt needed a home; he needed to be around people who have his best interests in mind. Obviously it wasn’t the fans or even the people he could call friends! Only The Kingdom could provide Matt with the real love and guidance he needs”.
Whatever Maria said, it must have worked. Her charms are obvious and ability to manipulate appear to be second to none. She is a shrewd negotiator and whether it was money, success, guidance or just the camaraderie, Taven accepted and is now part of a group poised to control Ring of Honor.
Adam Cole, Matt Taven, Mike Bennett & Maria Kanellis now comprise a group that has pretty much every tool needed to become the most dominant force in Ring of Honor history. None of these individuals are strangers to titles and every champion is now on notice. Can The Kingdom be stopped?
MOOSE
ROH Debut: 2014
Main Feuds: Cedric Alexander
Main Allies: Stokely Hathaway
Signature moves:
Pounce - Running shoulder block
FINISHER -
SPEAR – Moose finishes his prey with a monstrous spear that knocks opponents out cold!
Standing 6’5” and weighing 295 pounds, Ojinnaka looks to follow in the footsteps of other football players turned grapplers such as: Ernie Ladd, Wahoo McDaniel and Bronko Nagurski as he transitions from the football field to the wrestling ring.
Recruited by Ring of Honor for his agility, power and size, Ojinnaka is an elite athlete. Demonstrating exceptional potential during his Ring of Honor Dojo tryout, he’s touted as a blue chip prospect – a label Ojinnaka is quite familiar with.
Drafted in the 5th round by the Atlanta Falcons in 2006, Ojinnaka spent 4 years in Atlanta before moving on to play for the New England Patriots in 2010. That year, he was part of the best offensive line in the NFL. Ojinnaka would go on to play for the Indianapolis Colts and St. Louis Rams, utilizing his speed and power to become one of the fiercest offensive guards in the league.
After over 100 games and achieving his childhood dream of playing in the NFL, Ojinnaka now hopes to realize another lifelong dream: winning the Ring of Honor World Heavyweight Championship.
Ojinnaka’s quest to accomplish this new challenge begins shortly as he readies to make his debut in Ring of Honor, an organization known for its elite level of competition.
CHRIS SABIN
ROH debut: ROH Debut: 06/14/2003 Night of Grudges
Main Feuds: The Briscoe Brothers,
Main Allies: the Knights of the Rising Dawn (KRD) with Christopher Daniels and Frankie Kazarian
Signature Moves:
Leap of Faith - suicide dive
FINISHER(S) -
CRADLE SHOCK - Cross legged cradle driver
HAIL SABIN - Cross legged sitout scoop piledriver
Chris Sabin is a flashy and brilliant professional wrestler. Some say he is as 'smooth as silk' when the bell rings. With his quiet and reserved demeanor, Sabin has created an aura around him. What is he thinking? What makes him tick? With his recent return to Ring of Honor as a member of the Knight of The Rising Dawn, he has created even more questions!
Hailing from the Motor City, Sabin started his path to Ring of Honor after extensive training on the Detroit/Canadian independent scene. He made his debut for Ring of Honor at "Night Of The Grudges" in 2003, against Homicide, John Walters and Justin Credible. With his flashy, action packed in ring style, he created an immediate buzz.
Sabin would first gain notoriety for his often talked about matches with the likes of Christopher Daniels, Lowki and The Amazing Red. He would eventually leave ROH to pursue different goals. Sabin would find great success competing in X Division matches against some of the very best wrestlers in the world.
He would also find great tag team success with close friend Alex Shelly as The Motor City Machine Guns. The duo made sporadic appearances in ROH between 2005 and 2010. They faced some of the very best tag teams in ROH history in the Age of The Fall, The Briscoes, Austin Aries & Bryan Danielson, The Kings of Wrestling and Kevin Steen & El Generico. They would have varied success but never capture the ROH World Tag Team Championships.
He would break from the tag team ranks and prove to be among the elite in the world as a singles competitor. On July 18, 2013 he would win the Impact Wrestling World Heavyweight Championship. It was a short reign but he proved to be one of the very best bell to bell.
On recent episodes of Ring of Honor Television mysterious hacker videos started airing with specific messages. Three men were present in the videos warning that they have watched the growth of Ring of Honor and have influenced the growth whether it was close or from afar. They informed the world that they could no longer sit back and watch. The trio made their physical presence felt multiple times during the live 13th Anniversary Pay Per View as they attacked numerous ROH stars. The Knights of The Rising Dawn had arrived with an impact.
On Saturday night April 4, 2015 in San Antonio, Texas a masked was removed from one of the KRD and revealed to be none other than Chris Sabin. The former World Champion had returned to ROH in shocking fashion. Sabin cost reDRagon the ROH World Tag Team Championships. They lost them to The Addiction, Christopher Daniels & Frankie Kazarian. As the four competitors surrounded Sabin, Daniels & Kazarian would drop reDRagon by hitting them with the championship belts. They then turned and hugged Sabin to reveal they were the other 2 members of the KRD.
Chris Sabin is back in Ring of Honor. His resume is a little more padded and his experience level is at an all-time high. With Daniels & Kazarian by his side, is it now his time to become the ROH World Champion?
The Knights of the Rising Dawn have made their mission clear. They are not happy with the regime in place. They have informed ROH that with their help, the current regime will be overthrown and replaced with the athletes that they believe deserve to hold the championships. The Knights of the Rising Dawn are the past returning to present Ring of Honor with a better future.
THE YOUNG BUCKS - Nick and Matt Jackson
ROH Titles: The Bucks ended reDRagon's second title reign in March 2014 but dropped the belts back to them in May 2014
Main Feuds: The Briscoe Brothers, reDRagon, The Kingdom
Main Allies: AJ Styles, the Bullet Club
Signature Moves:
NSync - double hip toss followed by a double handspring followed by a double team dropkick
Early Onset Alzheimer's - Double team superkick
FINISHER(S) -
MORE BANG FOR YOUR BUCK - Rolling fireman's carry slam by Matt followed by a 450° splash by Nick followed by a moonsault by Matt
MELTZER DRIVER - A springboard 450 spike tombstone piledriver
INDYTAKER - Springboard spike kneeling reverse piledriver
It's time for a Super Kick Party! For the first time anywhere in their careers you can experience a Young Bucks Super Kick Party in your own home! The Young Bucks are the hottest tag team in wrestling, selling out arenas all over the world with their show stealing, money making, house selling, championship winning style!
The Bucks are ready to battle the likes of Kevin Steen, El Generico, Jay & Mark Briscoe, The American Wolves, Chris Hero, Claudio Castagnoli, Adam Cole, reDRagon, and many more in your ROH fed, starting right now! It’s TOO SWEET