With the recent appearance by the Forever Hooligans at the 11th Anniversary and Machine Gun Karl Anderson now being signed on for Supercard of Honor there have been some rumors circulating on various forums and in comment sections on dirtsheets about ROH possibly teaming up for a partnership with New Japan Pro Wrestling. What do you make of this? Is this a good step forward for ROH and can this relationship if it is true benefit both parts?
I say yes, this is a great move forward for ROH, a company that has been limping for a long time, mostly because of loss of talent and the baby deceases from partnering with Sinclair. By signing a potential partnership and talent exchange with NJPW they get a gateway into mainstream wrestling that will make Sinclair more comfortable with them and willing to spend more on them. ROH can now also send talent to Japan to train again, something that greatly benefited the company in its hayday since guys like Danielson, Joe and McGuinness went to Japan to train and make names for themselves, brining eyes upon the ROH product of the time. Now that gateway is open again. NJPW also get a gateway into the Americas, being able to send talent to America for ROH shows, imagine matches like Steen vs Tanahashi, Steen vs Okada, Devitt vs Roderick (Strong works best with flyers) plus guys like the Timesplitters in the tag division. NJPW can also send lower card talent on training trips in America with the ROH crew.
If this is true and ends up being real I am stoked for ROH. Because it means a great step forward for them and NJPW.
Discuss.
