Honorable Mention:Ring of Honor in 2016 (How I Became a Wrestling Fan Again)
A little over a year ago, I went to my first truly independent wrestling show. The event featured Colt Cabana wrestling in a Catholic school gymnasium. I had heard about the show by listening to his Art of Wrestling podcast and despite being a staunch WWE only fan, I knew I would not have the chance to see Cabana wrestle on television. For the low cast of twenty five dollars, I cajoled my friend into sitting in the front row at the event, all for a glimpse of the very same wrestler I had seen at the Manhattan Center wrestling for Ring of Honor.
Previously, Ring of Honor was a company that I had seen live for its Final battle PPV event. I never ordered other shows and despite the insistence of several close friends, I never watched any of the product, aside from going to Final Battle events. I knew nothing of the roster, adhering to competitors that simply entertained me while I was in attendance. I did go so far as to buy one solitary shirt, an El Generico shirt, as I thought the notion of a generic Mexican wrestler was so absurdly hilarious, that I felt compelled to support this clearly ingenious fellow. Later that night, I joined in the “Ole,Ole,Ole” chants with the crowd, swept up in the wholesale crowd support of the man that exuded an underdog style that endeared me to the wrestler.
Yet, despite the raucous time at the show, I stayed in the dark. I made absolutely no effort to pursue watching the product, content to go to events that took place in New York and enjoy the spectacle of the show in person only.
Cue writing for a wrestling website. Oftentimes, it seemed that everything I deemed important enough to cover, had been covered by somebody else. I did my best to come up with fresh ideas about WWE, but some weeks, I felt bereft of anything poignant to share. A colleague suggested covering Ring of Honor. There was a gap in coverage for the company that would give me exclusivity in generating content. And it was this suggestion that launched me into a world that was new and sparkling.
At first, Ring of Honor frustrated me. I had too long been spoiled by an almost insurmountable amount of free content available to me by WWE. The low cost of the WWE Network not only assured that I did not send my monthly wages to the cable company for PPVs. Paying thirty dollars to watch a PPV was unfathomable. I decided that I would finally just watch one show and decide moving forward if it would be worthwhile moving forward. I was covering ROH exclusively by the time that the 14th anniversary show came around, so I felt it my duty to watch the show.
What has followed since has been what most would deem an unhealthy amount of hours spent watching as much as I could. The minute a new Video of Demand would be released, I watched them within hours of release. I re-watched everything to be able to really write about the shows and all along the way, I became more and more enraptured by what I watched, in a much different way that I was interested in the WWE’s product.
I wanted to see more of the Party Peacock Dalton Castle. I chuckled whenever he shook hands awkwardly with his opponents and bent over backwards. Caprice Coleman calling people Jive Turkeys got me out of my seat.
Adam Cole joining the Bullet Club infuriated me, how could he be so flippant? Why were people supporting the man who was clearly the most dastardly man? I started to enjoy Lethal’s work even more as the year progressed and was rendered speechless when Cole and The Young Bucks cut his hair. Donovan Dijak turning to Prince Nana for guidance frustrated me, as I felt a man with his talent did need to cheat to win and then it hit me.
I was no longer the “smart mark” in the audience, eschewing the concepts of “good guys and bad guys”. I wasn’t lauding the work rate of the mid-card and spewing venomous diatribes when they did not get the push he “deserved”. I was watching and reacting. My lack of background information about the company, especially the halcyon days of Bryan Danielson, Nigel McGuinness, Samoa Joe and others did not impact my viewing.
Writing about wrestling does not make me an expert. I dedicate much of my free time to be able to intelligently present what I enjoy watching. Whether it be on vacation, or during a hectic time during the school year, I often turn to wrestling, and now specifically Ring of Honor.
Field of Honor was special this year, instead of attending an attraction, I was attending to for continuity, the matches truly meant something. From the opening bell to the last pinfall, I was invested and interested in a live event like I had not been in a long time.
Final Battle 2016 felt like my first Wrestlemania. Granted, I had ill advisedly consumed a great deal of espresso before the show, but that withstanding, I was ebullient about the event. For the first time, I was not going to Final Battle to simply see a wrestling show. I was going to experience every match, cheer for my favorites and boo the wrestlers that irked me.
As I waited in line for last minute streamers, I felt a wave of anxiety wash over me. I willed the line to move along quickly. I could not miss the beginning of the show. By the end of the show, I left in a euphoric state. Did every match tickle my fancy? No.
But I did get to see the culmination of a year’s worth of stories come to a conclusion. I knew, as I walked to the train for the long trip home, that I would be embarking on another year of Ring of Honor wrestling as a fan reborn. As good as previous ROH events and rosters have been, I am grateful that my experience was not in anyway shaped by expectations. When one partakes in something as a fan, the line between optimism and pessimism can be easy to cross without being aware of it. Once pessimism rears its ugly head and a lack of enjoyment supersedes all else, it might be time to step back. I, for one, am hopeful as ROH moves into 2017 and beyond.
