ROH In Crisis: ALL Wrestlers To Be Released, Hiatus & Reboot Impending
The latest on Ring Of Honor as mass wrestler releases and a 2022 "reimagining" loom for the group.
Ring Of Honor spun into crisis on Wednesday, as it was revealed that the promotion would be releasing every contracted wrestler following a hiatus announcement.
This major story started developing when ROH tweeted the following, confirming the promotion will go on ice after 11 December's Final Battle 2021 event, returning to live shows in April 2022 after "working internally to reimagine ROH":-
Advertisement— ROH Wrestling (@ringofhonor) October 27, 2021
PWInsider's Mike Johnson notes that this decision was made around a week ago. Elsewhere, Fightful's Sean Ross Sapp reports that ROH COO Joe Koff fought hard for the promotion, but parent company Sinclair Broadcast Group ultimately made the decision.
After the hiatus was announced, Dave Meltzer reported that ROH had released "everyone" from their contracts. His outlet, The Wrestling Observer/Figure Four Online, later added that deals weren't being renewed and that ROH wrestlers were free to work for other companies effective immediately. Wrestlers will also be paid until at least the end of the year (Sapp notes that those with contracts beyond this will be paid until 31 March) and will be required to fulfil their remaining ROH dates.
ROH World Champion Bandido has already been confirmed for upcoming Game Changer Wrestling shows in December.
As well as Final Battle, ROH is due to run television tapings in November. The company's television show had not been cancelled at the time of writing.
Formed in 2002, ROH quickly ascended to become the most influential independent wrestling promotion in history, helping launch the careers of CM Punk, Bryan Danielson, Samoa Joe, Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn, and countless others. The promotion has been under Sinclair's ownership since a 2011 takeover and has endured a rough few financial years after electing against making talent cuts during the COVID-19 pandemic.