ROH: New Beginnings

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Honor is about to be restored to professional wrestling.​

In an era where spectacle has eclipsed sport, a new battleground is rising from the independent scene — a place where respect, athleticism, and pure competition come before egos and politics. On this stage, the best wrestlers from across the globe will collide: veterans hungry to prove they still belong, hungry newcomers ready to steal the spotlight, and dream match-ups that fans thought they’d never see.

This is Ring of Honor — where every handshake is a promise, every match is a test, and every victory must be earned.​

 

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[ROSTER PAGE]

 

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[CHAMPIONS PAGE]

 

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[SHOW HISTORY]

 

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On the 23rd February, Ring of Honor will host it's premier event 'Welcome Player One' live from the Murphy Recreation Center (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania). With the promotion's owner Rob Feinstein making it known that the intention at this point will be for ROH to host a live event once a month, with the purpose of seeking a television deal for weekly broadcasts. A total of four matches were announced in order to tempt fans to attend the show:

Jerry Lynn vs. AJ Styles

Bryan Danielson vs. Doug Williams

Samoa Joe vs. Low Ki

Christopher Daniels vs. Steve Corino

There was also a promise made by Feinstein that the promotion would endeavor to create a strong female talent pool and that women were more than just a novelty but would at times be the main focus. ​

 

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The first show in the history of Ring of Honor would begin with a four way dance featuring four Cruiserweights who had previously been part of World Championship Wrestling. Evan Karagias, Kaz Hayashi, Super Calo and Juventud Gurrerrera would all earn the right of taking part in the first ever match in the company's history.

- Match One - Cruiserweight Sprint -
| Super Calo vs. Kaz Hayashi vs. Evan Karagias vs. Juventud Gurrerrera |
All four cruiserweights exploded out of the gate with lightning-quick exchanges and constant counters. The action never slowed, with shifting alliances and rapid near-falls keeping everyone alive. Juvi’s springboard dropkick rocked Calo, Kaz caught Karagias in a crisp tilt-a-whirl backbreaker, and Calo soared with a twisting tope onto all three men. In the closing scramble, Juvi went for the Juvi Driver, but Kaz slipped free, drilled Karagias with a sharp spin kick, and snatched a tight cradle. Before Juvi or Calo could make the save, the referee counted three; Kaz Hayashi snatching victory in a four-way sprint.

Winner: Kaz Hayashi

* * *

Shane Douglas would appear in the ring with a vest top with two words written on the front of it 'Fuck Vince' a clear indication of Douglas' feelings towards Vince McMahon and the WWF following the closure of World Championship Wrestling. Douglas would make it known that he fully intended on making his Ring of Honor debut in the coming months but that he would be watching from the sidelines for now. Scouting out an opponent that was worthy of his time and effort. Douglas would confirm that he intended to make his debut in the summer, so if Feinstein had any sense he would booking some serious talent that would give the fans what they wanted. A Franchise debut that would be star studded and guarantee that seats be filled in perpetuity as long as his name was on the billing.

* * *

- Match Two - Tag Team Match -
| The SAT (Jose & Joel Maximo) vs. Mikey Whipwreck & Nova |
The SAT came in looking to prove themselves against the veteran duo of Whipwreck and Nova, and the opening minutes were all about speed. Jose and Joel used crisp double-teams: stereo dropkicks, quick tags, and a top-rope double stomp/senton combo to keep Nova isolated. Once Mikey got the tag, the pace shifted. The veteran grounded the Maximos with stiff strikes and just enough rule-bending to turn momentum. Nova followed up with his signature high-flying offense, including a rolling neck snap and a slingshot legdrop. The finish came when the SAT went for their Spanish Fly on Nova, but Mikey shoved Jose off the ropes and caught Joel with a Whippersnapper. Nova hit a top-rope legdrop for the pin, giving the veteran team the hard-fought win.

Winners: Nova & Mikey Whipwreck

In the post-match Nova would prove to be a little bit too flamboyant in his celebration and it was clear that Mikey Whipwreck wasn't a fan of his partner taking the spotlight as he would spin Nova around and slap him across the face before wiping his partner out with the Whipper-Snapper (his version of a Stunner). This would be met with jeers and boos from the crowd, but Whipwreck soaked it all up and actually smiled like a joyful child with a bag full of sweets on Halloween night as he flipped off the crowd and walked to the back having been energized from the fans turning on him and making him an instant heel in the process.

* * *

- Match Three - Headliner Singles Match -
| Steve Corino vs. Christopher Daniels |
Two masters of ring psychology squared off in a measured battle that built from technical wrestling into a hard-hitting war. The opening minutes saw Daniels and Corino trading holds and counterholds, each man looking for the smallest opening. Daniels worked the pace up with sharp strikes and a slingshot elbow, but Corino answered with precision suplexes and grinding forearms. Midway through, Daniels took control with his methodical offense, targeting Corino’s neck and wearing him down for the Last Rites. Corino weathered the storm, blocking the finisher and turning the tide with a sudden Old School Expulsion for a near fall that had the crowd on edge. In the final stretch, both men traded bombs: Daniels hit the Best Moonsault Ever for a two-count, but Corino caught him on the next exchange with a superkick flush on the jaw. Without hesitation, Corino followed with a Northern Lights Bomb, scoring the clean three-count after exactly fifteen minutes on the clock.

Winner: Steve Corino

* * *

- Match Four - Headliner Singles Match -
| Bryan Danielson vs. Doug Williams |
From the opening bell, this was a masterclass in pure wrestling. Bryan Danielson and Doug Williams went hold-for-hold, each man testing the other’s defenses in a deliberate, technical battle. Williams worked his trademark mat control, chaining armlocks into headscissors and forcing Danielson to fight from underneath. Danielson countered with precision; twisting out of holds and targeting Williams’ arm to set up his own submission game. The pace never rushed, but every exchange had weight. Williams nearly ended it with the Chaos Theory into a crossface, only for Danielson to roll through and escape. The match became a chess game, with both men relentlessly hunting for the tap-out. In the final moments, Danielson blocked a takedown, trapped Williams in a grounded hammerlock, and transitioned seamlessly into the Cattle Mutilation. Williams fought hard, but with no escape in sight, he was forced to submit, giving Danielson the hard-earned victory in a grueling display of technical wrestling.

Winner: Bryan Danielson

After the contest Danielson would take a microphone and speak to the fans. He would demand that in future that respect and honor be upheld in Ring of Honor and would be the first man to coin the term "Code of Honor" in which a handshake at the beginning and end of the match should be compulsory. He would then share his dream for a unique match styles, a gimmick he would refer to as Pure Rules in which the following rules would be applied to any contest:

- Rope Breaks (Each wrestler is allotted three rope breaks to escape pinfalls or submissions. Once these are used, the wrestler cannot use the ropes to break up a pin or submission).

- Closed Fist Punches (Closed-fist punches to the face are not allowed. The first use results in a warning, and the second use leads to disqualification).

- Strikes to the Body (Open-handed slaps and chops to the face are permitted, as are punches to other parts of the body, excluding low blows).

- Outside the Ring (If a wrestler goes to the floor, a 20-count is initiated by the referee).

Danielson would close his his promo by stating that he fully intended on creating a legacy not just for himself but for future generations and he knew he could count on management for having his back and that he fully intended on making wrestling 'Pure'.

* * *

- Match Five - Women's Ranking Rumble -
| 18 Female Entrants |
The ring filled quickly, starting with Mercedes Martinez and Cheerleader Melissa trading heavy shots before Allison Danger joined to break things up. Early alliances formed and dissolved fast, with Sara Del Rey hitting the ring and immediately asserting herself with stiff strikes. Simply Luscious and Sumie Sakai added to the chaos, the first elimination coming when Del Rey dumped Luscious over the top rope with a forearm smash. Daizee Haze, Rain, and Lacey entered in quick succession, bringing speed to the mix. Haze scored the next elimination, low-bridging Sakai to the floor. April Hunter and Trinity brought power, with Hunter sending Haze flying with a clothesline over the top. Talia Madison and Nikki Roxx kept the pace frantic, each narrowly avoiding elimination on the apron.

As the ring grew crowded, Amber O’Neal was tossed by Melissa after a missed dropkick, and Cindy Rogers followed moments later thanks to a Sara Del Rey boot. Mickie Knuckles charged in and made an instant impact, brawling hard with Melissa. Miss DeVille and Tara Charisma rounded out the field. Eliminations came rapid-fire in the closing minutes: Trinity was backdropped to the floor by Mercedes, Rain was tossed by Del Rey, and Melissa finally got knocked off the apron by a double dropkick from Danger and Lacey. The final four were Mercedes Martinez, Sara Del Rey, Allison Danger, and Mickie Knuckles.

Knuckles went first after a Martinez spinebuster sent her over. Danger tried to surprise Mercedes from behind but got backdropped out, leaving the powerhouse Martinez and Del Rey. After a grueling strike exchange, Mercedes caught Del Rey in a fireman’s carry and dumped her over the top rope, standing tall as the winner of the Women’s Rumble.

Winner: Mercedes Martinez

Jeff Gorman the ringside announcer would confirmed that Mercedes, Sara Del Rey, Allison Danger & Mickie Knuckles had been the final four to be eliminated and had all earned themselves not only an official ranking but also would be offered contract that would promise multiple bookings in the future as was a standing commitment to making Ring of Honor a heartland for Women's Wrestling.

* * *

- Match Six - Headliner Singles Match -
| Jerry Lynn vs. AJ Styles |
What started as a respectful test of skill turned into a war of attrition between the wily veteran and the hungry young phenom. The early minutes saw crisp chain wrestling and counter sequences, Lynn slowing the pace and grounding AJ whenever the younger man tried to quicken it. AJ fired back with explosive dropkicks and springboard offense, but Lynn’s ring awareness kept him one step ahead. By the fifteen-minute mark, tempers flared. A clash at ringside sent both men into the guardrail, and when AJ caught Lynn with a flying forearm that split him open, the tone shifted from competitive to brutal. Minutes later, Lynn returned the favor, driving AJ face-first into the post and opening him up as well.

The canvas became a smear of red as each man traded punishing near-falls: Styles hitting the Spiral Tap for two, Lynn surviving with a foot on the ropes; Lynn delivering a cradle piledriver that AJ somehow kicked out of. The finish came deep into the twenty-fifth minute, both men barely standing. AJ went for a second Spiral Tap, but Lynn rolled clear and hooked him into a sudden small package for the three-count. No posturing, no cheap shots, just two blood-covered warriors slumped on the mat, the veteran’s hand raised while the crowd gave both men a standing ovation. Lynn would help Styles back up to his feet and both men would shake hands fully respecting the 'Code of Honor' and being the first pairing to do so, breathing air in Danielson's vision.

Winner: Jerry Lynn

* * *

- Main Event - Headliner Singles Match -
| Samoa Joe vs. Low Ki |
From the opening bell, the crowd knew they were seeing something special. Samoa Joe and Low Ki locked up in a tense, grinding collar-and-elbow, each testing the other’s power and poise. The first fifteen minutes were a chess match of stiff kicks, grinding submissions, and bursts of explosive offense Joe using his size to muscle Ki into the corners, Ki chopping down Joe’s base with rapid-fire low kicks. By the halfway point, the match had escalated into a war. Joe’s face was marked from Ki’s blistering strikes, while Ki’s chest was crimson from Joe’s chops. The pace never slowed Ki surviving a brutal Muscle Buster at the thirty-minute mark, Joe barely reaching the ropes after being trapped in the Dragon Clutch.

Every near fall drew louder reactions, every strike exchange left both men staggering. In the final ten minutes, desperation took over. Ki hit the Ki Krusher for a razor-close two-count, Joe answered with a snap powerbomb into an STF, and the crowd roared with every escape. The closing seconds saw both men trading forearms center ring, neither willing to fall. The bell finally sounded at the sixty-minute mark, the time limit expired, leaving both warriors collapsed on the mat, exhausted and unbroken. The fans rose to their feet, chanting for “five more minutes,” but the draw was official a testament to the endurance, skill, and sheer will of two of the very best in the game.

Result: Draw

Samoa Joe would look exhausted but annoyed but rather than face Low Ki he would turn towards the back and demand that the next match he take part in better not end in a draw whether it be against Low Ki or any of the other men that had competed tonight. The fans would end the night shouting 'JOE! JOE! JOE!' at the top of their lungs as ROH's Welcome Player One would draw to a conclusion.​