Ring of Honor director/producer David Lagana has posted an exclusive column on the Heyman Hustle, where he addresses the uncertainty surrounding the promotion due to the imminent departure of its World Champion, Tyler Black (scheduled to make his last appearance at the Glory By Honor iPPV this coming Saturday). Among the highlights is the following passage:
Now it’s 2010, and I’ve heard that same nagging question about ROH, “Is This The End?†Glory By Honor IX marks a very unique set of circumstances. Most notably, ROH World Champion Tyler Black signed a contract with Vince McMahon’s World Wrestling Entertainment in August. The reigning champion of ROH scooped up just as he’s hitting his stride by the big, evil corporation. How could this happen? Does this mean the ship is sinking and everyone is running for lifeboats? It was this same time last year when WWE announced signing Bryan Danielson and Nigel McGuiness away from ROH and everyone predicted doom and gloom for the promotion. Ring of Honor’s legacy just might be just like that of ECW’s in the 90s … creating an alternative product from the big two and a place for talents to make their first — and for some, most memorable — splash with a national audience. ROH has “lost†talents like CM Punk, Samoa Joe, Homicide, Matt Sydal, Low Ki and others over the years. Those performers have gone on to show that their success in Ring of Honor set them up for great things in greener pastures. This Saturday, Tyler Black faces Roderick Strong in the main event for the ROH World Championship. Will Tyler walk out of the Manhattan Center as ROH champion? Don’t think it’s possible?
Point of reference, Vince McMahon met with Harley Race before the very first Starcadde in 1983 in an attempt to steal the NWA Champion and screw with Jim Crockett’s biggest show to date at that time.
