10 Things You Didn’t Know About Ring Of Honor

10. The Company Once Had 5 Strict Rules To Follow

When Ring Of Honor formed, it did so under the guise of sporting credibility.

From the very first show in February, 2002, there was something different about the company. Other independent promotions had come and gone, feeling very similar to one another, but ROH offered up a product that was both focused on the wrestling and strikingly fresh.

One of the most remarkable aspects of ROH was the (long since discarded) 'Code Of Honor' system. On other shows, outside interference was commonplace, but ROH outlawed it. Similarly, ref bumps were done away with, disqualifications were frowned upon, and wrestlers were asked to shake hands before matches. It all felt very old-school.

That traditional flavour would serve Ring Of Honor well, but the Code was tweaked as time progressed. By 2004, the rules had loosened, although respecting officials and maintaining sportsmanship were both still encouraged within the company.

Today, the Code Of Honor is rarely discussed seriously, but it did help set ROH apart from other independent groups in those early days.