ROH News: December 22nd Newswire

Posted by Larry Csonka on 12.23.2009

All of the latest from ROH…


From ROHWrestling.com:

- Final Battle 2009 Weekend is in the books, and without question, the main event of last Saturday's event is the most polarizing bout in ROH history. Tyler Black has been on the tail of Austin Aries for nearly all of 2009, and the second half of the year has seen Aries carry the greatest prize in ROH – the World Championship. Through trial and tribulation, fighting through pain and injury, vicious attacks, and interference from those wishing to slow him down, Tyler Black finally met Austin Aries one-on-one in New York City. And for all the controversy bandied about on internet message boards, one thing is for certain: Austin Aries had a plan, and it worked. After what may end up the most polarizing 60 minute time limit draw in wrestling history, Austin Aries is still the Ring of Honor World Champion. And for Tyler Black, the question becomes simple: Where does he go from here? After a 2009 that saw him valiantly fight through rising odds to end up knocking on the doorstep of the World Title, is it really possible that he's lost the backing of the ROH faithful? And what will Jim Cornette have to say about Final Battle's controversial main event?

- Everyone at Ring of Honor wants to send the biggest heartfelt THANK YOU to each and every fan in Manassas, VA and New York, NY that was able to make it to see the live events last weekend. Believe us when we say that travel issues were a theme for ROH throughout the entire weekend, not only the horrendous snowstorm that made the trek from VA to NY one of the worst in record, but also the uncertainty that the entire roster faced as nearly every ROH flight home was cancelled prior to the NY event. Some may say it goes without saying, but in this case, we really want you to know how much we appreciate everyone making sacrifices to show up. It won't be forgotten.

- Didn't see Final Battle 2009? Don't miss out! You can still see what all of the buzz is about. Check out http://gofightlive.tv/showEvent.do?event=560, watch the event, and form your own opinion! ROH's first step into iPPV territory was one that will have people talking for years to come! Give us your thoughts at twitter.com/rohonhdnet!

- We have NEW World Tag Team Champions! Mark and Jay Briscoe defeated the American Wolves last Saturday at Final Battle. Tons of credit has to go to the Wolves for becoming one of the greatest tag teams in ROH history, as they held the World Titles for over 8 months, and laid waste to countless tag teams along the way. Now they are clamoring for their rematch. "The hunt is never over," said Davey Richards. "We dominate, we conquer, we rule. And we will do it all again." Both teams have been in contact with ROH officials, and we will have news on those meetings next week after the holidays.

- Kevin Steen shocked the world when he decimated El Generico with a steel chair on Saturday night. After bringing many to tears with his speech following a dramatic loss to the Young Bucks, it appeared that Steen was set to step away from wrestling. And an instant later, the cheers and adulation of the fans turned into dismayed silence. An instant after that, El Generico was prone and cowering and Colt Cabana was standing between the two "friends", trying to understand what we all had just witnessed. Steen left ringside in his wake, with bizarre acts such as kissing Cabana and a fan, and all with this disconnected smile painted on his face. And as if there weren't enough questions to be answered, things took another unexpected turn as Steve Corino checked in from Japan and added more twists to this unbelievable story. Check out what he had to say at http://www.you-tube.com/watch?v=2lBhIWDQZyE. What is going through Steen's mind?

- Speaking of Colt Cabana, Bower and "The Sweet Nasty" Chris Cause from Wheelhouse Radio welcomed him to their show on December 21st! They talked about ROH, his career in wrestling including some nasty injuries that he has had over the years, his new career in comedy and more! You can download the Podcast HERE: http://meatshopproductions.com/wheelhouseradio/2009/12/21/boom-boom-colt-cabana/

- The Pick 6 Series got a little shakeup over the weekend as Kenny King was able to steal a win from Roderick Strong in New York and now sits poised at Number 4 in the standings. Interestingly enough, Claudio Castagnoli and Chris Hero sit at Numbers 1 and 3 respectively. And after their apparent reformation of the "Kings of Wrestling", it'll be interesting to see where their focus lies. Their attack of the Briscoes following their tag team title win was another shock to the New York crowd, and Mark and Jay would have none of it, following it up with a wild brawl that ended Final Battle 2009 in chaos. What is the real motivation for this unexpected KoW reunion? We'll have comments from all involved in the upcoming ROH Videowire.

- Eddie Kingston was finally able to give "That Young Knockout Kid" a taste of his own medicine, falling Hero with his own "Golden Elbow" at Final Battle 2009. Now it would seem that Kingston can move forward away from the past and on to secure his future in professional wrestling. He is scheduled to be a part f the big ROH on HDNet National Television Tapings on January 8th and 9th in Philadelphia. Tickets are on sale now at www.rohwrestling.com.

- We want to thank representatives from AAA that did what they could to ensure that Rocky Romero, Alex Koslov, Jack Evans, and Teddy Hart were able to appear for ROH this past weekend. Weather almost cost us Jack and Teddy, but when they did arrive, they brought unpredictability with them, and we thank all four men for their participation. Alex Koslov, however, didn't leave without an air of controversy, as he contacted ROH officials before his flight to state that the footage will show that he did not tap out or quit in his singles contest against Rocky Romero on Saturday. "He didn't win," said the charismatic Russian. "I don't know who he paid to ring the bell, but he didn't beat me."

- Roderick Strong had an incredible 2009, and the year ended in an even split for him, defeating Tyler Black in a great back-and-forth contest to even their series against one another last Friday. And as was stated earlier, he fell to Kenny King on Saturday in what some are calling a mild upset. "I was riding high after winning in Manassas," said Strong. "Maybe it was the 8 hour drive with little sleep that cost me against Kenny. I don't know. We all had to make that drive, so I don't want to make excuses so I'll say he got me. I'll give him his due – even if he had to hook my trunks. I just want to say that 2009 was great for me and for ROH, and even if I don't know what 2010 will bring, I know I'll be ready. Thanks to everyone, especially the fans."

- The Buy 2, Get 1 Free DVD Sale is back at ROHWrestling.com until Thursday morning on all Ring of Honor titles. For complete details on the sale click here: http://www.rohwrestling.com/news/article.aspx?id=2643. Just released and available for immediate shipping is Clash of the Contenders from 10/9/09 in Collinsville, IL featuring a tremendous singles bout featuring Kenny Omega vs. Davey Richards. Other bouts include Austin Aries vs. Delirious for the ROH World Title; Tyler Black vs. Chris Hero; The Young Bucks vs. Kenny King & Rhett Titus; Kevin Steen vs. Roderick Strong; plus more.

- We'll be back after the holiday with news on the ROH on HDNet Television Tapings taking place on January 8th and 9th, as well as a look at the card for ROH's January 29th debut in Los Angeles as part of the WrestleReunion 4 convention. Stay tuned to main page of ROHWrestling.com for breaking news on this upcoming event.