Earth shattering news in the indie wrestling scene! According to Pro Wrestling Sheet’s sources, WWE has been quietly discussing a potential deal with Sinclair Broadcasting Group to buyout Ring of Honor. The stealth talk has apparently been going on since this January and would see a full blown takeover of ROH. What happens to their weekly TV show in such a scenario? It would air on the WWE Network.
Now there’s no guarantee every current roster member would be included in this proposition. However, considering how much talent WWE has ‘raided’ from Ring of Honor in recent years it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the majority of the talent kept. The real question is will there be a cross-brand feud between NXT and Ring of Honor? Perhaps Ring of Honor continues operating separately from NXT but under the WWE’s umbrella. A vision that could see WWE becoming not just a company for WWE wrestling but rather all wrestling. The equivalent of an ESPN airing every sports show in its field.
Of course let’s not jump to conclusions completely yet, as no official deal has been offered yet. It wasn’t that long ago we thought TNA Impact Wrestling’s video library would end up in the hands of the WWE after the company was hemorrhaging money left and right. Only for the WWE to lose interest with TNA eventually going toward Anthem. WWE did send out email surveys to certain fans of the WWE network last year, regarding interest in independent wrestling content like TNA and Ring of Honor. Showcasing a price tier system to subscribers.
Potential Invasion Angle with the Hardys?
In the midst of all these WWE/ROH talks, one cannot ignore the perfect opportunity to present an n.W.o style invasion led by the Hardys. It wasn’t that long ago that Broken Matt Hardy referenced the Walking Dead with WWE as Sanctuary and the rest of the indie scene as communities in the struggle.
Another strong soldier has chosen to return to Negan MeekMahan's Sanctuary.
The outside communities most stand together in this #GreatWar. https://t.co/EShnIRntSs
— #BROKEN Matt Hardy (@MATTHARDYBRAND) January 7, 2017
As Jeff Hardy and Matt Hardy are in talks themselves to return to the WWE, and are currently their tag team champions, a golden opportunity is presenting itself. One that hasn’t been seen in a quite a long time in the industry. Since the days of WCW/ECW…
Let’s see how this all plays out.
Please NO, NO, NO, NO!!!!!!
This would be the worst thing that has happened since that Black Monday in March 2001 when we got to see that P.O.S. Vince McMahon appear during Nitro to inform us that WCW was dead.
I truly enjoy watching ROH. They have great talents. They have great fans. They present their product in a serious manner. McMahon would ruin that.
ROH should not be part of a company that won’t even allow the words wrestling or wrestlers to be used on their shows. ROH is wrestling, not “sports entertainment”. Imagine how stupid it would sound if Christopher Daniels would have to tell us about his long career in sports entertainment–because he isn’t allowed to use the term “pro wrestling”. Imagine if Adam Cole would have to tell us about his childhood dreams “to become a sports entertainer”, since he can’t call himself a wrestler. It nauseates me just thinking about it.
I loved the wrestling on TBS/TNT. It didn’t matter when it was the NWA or when they split from the NWA to become WCW. I watched from Georgia Championship Wrestling in 1980 (when we first got WTBS on cable) until the very last Nitro in 2001. But, as much as I loved the wrestlers I watched, I refused to watch the WWF, even though McMahon put many of them on the roster.
If ROH gets sold to WWE, the promotion is dead to me.