Youth And The World Championship: How 10 Top Wrestling Companies Book New Stars

ROH don't tend to have many repeat Champions due to the fact that a lot of their former World Champions whisk away to other companies not long after they drop the belt.

The "super indy" company largely continued to stand by its laurels and typically (not always) promote new opportunities for younger talent over established short-term marquees with future household names Bryan Danielson, CM Punk and Tyler Black all getting their big breaks with the company in their 20s.

Consider this the case pre-Sinclair Broadcasting buyout, whom drastically reshaped ROH as a company following their purchase in 2011. On a championship level, pre-Sinclair had only two Champions over the age of 30 out of fourteen, leading to an average of 27, whilst post-buyout has only six under 30 from a possible thirteen, leading to an average of 32. Overall, the Philadelphia-born company boasts an average for a new World Champion of 30.

For now at least, the old-school days of exciting new stars still outweighs the more modern era of marquee signings and long-term character development (Matt Taven and Dalton Castle are ROH born-and-bred afterall). But given current Champion Rush’s first Title challenger post-COVID break was 33-year-old Brody King, who know for how much longer?