On January 14, 2006 at “Hell Freezes Over†Chris Hero stepped into the Ring of Honor ring for the very first time to battle then-ROH World Champion Bryan Danielson in a championship bout. It proved to be a historic night not only because it marked the future 2-Time ROH World Tag Champion’s ROH debut, but it also ignited a 7-month war with CZW that saw some of the most brutal fights in ROH’s history go down. The sight of that first Chris Hero match: The Pennsylvania National Guard Armory.
Now 6 years and 6 days later, on January 20, 2012, Chris Hero returns to The Armory to celebrate his ROH anniversary right alongside Ring of Honor celebrating its highly anticipated Philadelphia homecoming.
“There’s something special about the Armory.†said Hero, “Not only is it the place where I started for ROH, but it is the place where The Great Muta wrestled for ROH, where the legendary Mitsuharu Misawa wrestled for ROH, where Cage of Death went down, it is a place where history has been made, records have been broken, and legacies have been cemented. It’s been too long since I have competed inside the Armory, and to me, it means more than words can express to be part of Ring of Honor’s homecoming so close to my own ROH anniversary. All I am looking for from ROH on that night is a match, a contest that truly tests me, pushes me to my limits, something I feel I need after losing to Roderick at Final Battle. I am that Young Knockout Kid, and it has been too long since I’ve gotten the chance to knock…someone…out.â€
ROH officials heard Hero’s request and have found an opponent that will not only give him his wish to be truly tested, but also an opponent he has never before faced in Ring of Honor, yet one with whom he has something in common. Hero’s opponent on 1/20 will be the other part of The House of Truth, the 2011 Survival of the Fittest winner, “Unbreakable†Michael Elgin!
“Chris Hero.†said Elgin, “I watched you fight Roderick in New York and I knew our fates had to be intertwined. You’re a former Survival of the Fittest winner, whereas I am the current holder of that title. We’ve both endured the grueling nature of that contest and won; in fact you were actually responsible for eliminating every man in your finals that year if memory serves. That was impressive, and you have been nothing if not impressive your entire career. Two-time tag champion, constant contender for the ROH World Title, a perpetual threat, and from what I understand, ROH’s homecoming is also something of an anniversary for you. Chris Hero, I’m not terribly sorry when I say that I have bad news for you. Not only will that be your anniversary, but it may also mark the day that your ROH career ends. See this mission I have for January 20th is two-fold, the first part is something for The House of Truth, it is you getting the beat you down you deserve for having the audacity to answer Roderick’s challenge in New York. And the second part, well the second part is just for me Hero, it’s the part of the mission where I dismantle you as a warning to whoever has the ROH World Title at the end of the night. It will be a bad night for you Chris. That is something I can guarantee.â€
It’s “That Young Knockout Kid†Chris Hero vs. “Unbreakable†Michael Elgin and it goes down at “The Homecoming 2012†on January 20th in Philadelphia, PA!!
