ROH News: New Japan Favored Booking Starting To Cause Tension In Ring Of Honor, New Booker Possible?


Ring of Honor Wrestling may now be more popular than ever, but frustration and tension seem to be going on behind the scenes. We all know about the ROH partnership with New Japan Pro Wrestling. It has been quite successful for both parties, as NJPW workers get to have some American experience by working in one of the top independent promotions in the country. Meanwhile, the reverse is true, as ROH stars get to work in Japan a lot.

Both Adam Cole and Adam Page were added to NJPW’s Bullet Club recently, further pushing the partnership as of late. The fans seem to enjoy most of the material, but there has been some talk about how the booking has gone as of late. We, of course, know that Hunter “Delirious” Johnston is the head booker of ROH and has been known as an ROH guy for years. The problem is, his booking really favors New Japan over ROH.

While everyone understands that you have to lose at times, even if you’re a top talent, there comes a time when one side is simply doing it too much. Clearly, ROH wants to keep the NJPW partnership going, but things have to even out, and many within the company are upset with how things are going.

ROH viewers are upset with how things are going, but the talent also seems quite frustrated. It is at a point now where tension is rising backstage.

Jay Lethal
[Image via ROH Wrestling]
PW Torch commented on the issue, saying…

“Among wrestlers, there is a mix of internal feelings about Ring of Honor heading into the big “War of the Worlds” tour. Most of the mixture centers on how certain wrestlers are booked and whether their ideas are valued behind-the-scenes. This points back to head booker Delirious, whose management style led to veteran wrestler Christopher Daniels being added to the mix as an agent/liaison for talent. Plus, wrestlers wanting to see the benefits of the relationship with New Japan, but wondering why they keep being booked to lose matches, especially on U.S. shows.”

Adding someone like Daniels to such a position is a good move regardless of the possible tension simply because he is a great veteran who knows what he is doing. Here’s the problem: He is coming in during a time of craziness backstage and he is now basically becoming the “go-between” between talent and management. When this happens, trouble starts. There should always be an open dialog with talent and management without someone having to come in between each time.

Wade Keller, the owner of the PW Torch, would go on to say…

“There’s a lot of consternation behind the scenes with Hunter Johnston and the way that he is booking and almost this casual, steady, slow and steady wins the race as far as booking goes that is frustrating some of the talent right now. I think his booking is taking a bigger hit because on a personal level there’s people who feel that he’s playing favorites and he is not engaged in communication with talent, and so I think some of his booking maybe is getting an even worse rap because of it. But I think that there are people within the company who are now very critical of him because there is a feeling that his presence is a little toxic right now to morale. It seems like something that he isn’t addressing or feels he needs to address and that’s where Joe Koff comes in. But the feeling is that he’s burnt out and he’s just riding this out and not communicating or acknowledging what isn’t right as far as ROH goes.”

Adam Cole BC
image via aminoapps.com

If there are internal problems due to the booking, one would imagine that it would have been addressed well before now. We know of it in the media, and the fans know about it as well. The only one who seems to be oblivious to the issues happens to call himself Delirious.

Playing favorites surely can be problematic, however, this occurs in every single promotion on the planet. Most memorably, in WWE, The Kliq would be friends with Vince McMahon and get their way on a lot of things. All of them were booked in either a marquee storyline, had a championship around their waist a lot, or were known as the top guy in the company. It made a lot of people upset in WWE, and they don’t mind telling you about it either. Could the same be happening in ROH?

Some are wondering if wrestlers will call for Hunter Johnston to be removed from the head booker position after so many problems have arisen. The problem is that he has been good over the years, and it would probably take more than this issue to force management into changing things. Does it make sense to remove him? Of course, if talent sees him as a problem. However, who could they put in his place that would be better?

At the end of the day, management all around seems to be crazy for Ring of Honor. Clearly, the favoring of New Japan is understandable due to the fact that they are a big partner. Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer claimed that NJPW has had its biggest year yet. Merchandise and gate sales are up, even when top NJPW talent is not featured.

Okada
[Image via NJPW]
NJPW clearly is benefiting big time, but it seems ROH is not as much because it is merely by connection that things are going alright. It seems that ROH is willing to risk their future with talent for their partnership with NJPW, which is strange to see.

It is no secret that WWE wants Adam Cole badly. His ROH deal will eventually expire in April of 2017. While he may be doing okay with this booking issue, he may not continue to enjoy the luxuries of it. The thought is that both Rodrick Strong and Moose are also going to leave ROH due to the bad booking, as neither have been treated well since the NJPW partnership really. Of course, all three men very well could end up with WWE, but it is not always needed as they all can work in a variety of other places.

If treatment of talent does not change, at least as far as booking goes, they could risk losing most of their key players by the summer of 2017. Clearly, the future of the company hinges on the talent and their success. Losing talent like Jay Lethal and Adam Cole could gut the company. While some say it is not as big of an issue due to ROH’s ability to make stars, some think that their time in making top talent might be over. Even if they can make another top talent, it would take a long time to build them, and that would cost them money. There’s even a shot that someone might snatch them up before they build them completely as well. At the end of the day, many see the NJPW partnership as very one-sided, and it could hurt ROH more than help them when all is said and done.

[Image via ROH Wrestling]

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