6 Ways Gabe Sapolsky's ROH Followed Paul Heyman's ECW Legacy

1. Carved A Niche

Paul Heyman was not afraid of separating his ECW from a section of fans he termed 'NWA Traditionalists' by focusing on a different style. This attracted a different type of fan and was integral in getting ECW the success it achieved. With Ring of Honor Gabe Sapolsky took the same approach. Ignoring the gimmick and story filled world of existing juggernaut WWE, ROH put in-ring action first and foremost. ROH brought together different styles with one goal of creating the most exciting wrestling product on the market. Thanks to a combination of fast-paced athletic styles and hard hitting action it was presented with more believability and more as sport than entertainment. Continuing the sporting feel, a 'Top Five' rankings system was soon introduced to determine the challengers for the ROH World Championship. In 2004 the company introduced its first secondary title, the Pure Championship. Competed for under its own special rules, the championship was basically a division for the most technically gifted wrestlers on the roster to display their ground-based talent in new and inventive ways. But it wasn't just technical submission artists that the company centred around. It also featured hard hitting offence from the likes of Samoa Joe and Low Ki, who was also known to fly with the likes of Amazing Red and Paul London. ROH even embraced a comedy style of wrestling thanks to the likes of fan favourites Colt Cabana and Kikutaro. Click "next" below to read four ways Sapolsky's ROH carved its own path...