Official Ring of Honor thread

Ring of Honor made a last minute change of its championship on All-Star Extravaganza iPPV from Toronto on 9/6, as Jay Briscoe became only the second two-time champion in company history (Austin Aries being the other) when he defeated Michael Elgin.

The decision to take the title off Elgin came on either 9/5 or 9/6, but appeared to be finalized just hours before the show. Originally, Elgin was to hold the title most likely through Final Battle, where Adam Cole was the odds-on-favorite to become the second two-time champion, win the title, and then possibly defend it at the Tokyo Dome show on 1/4. It was not believed to be 100 percent that Cole would win the title, but that was when it would change hands and Cole was the most likely candidate. Cole was expected to win the title at some point over the next year when he signed a new contract.

There was a number of issues with Elgin of late, including him booking himself on a several week our of the U.K. during August, even though under contract to ROH, which had several key dates including the ballpark show in Brooklyn where, as champion, he was needed. So he ended up cancelling that tour. Then he lost via pinfall to Trevor Lee on the PWG Battle of Los Angeles show last week. ROH officials weren’t happy with that feeling their world champion shouldn’t be losing on someone else’s show, which is an old-school mentality that most major promotions still have today about protecting the value of the world title. In that same tournament, A.J. Styles, the IWGP champion, had to be eliminated with a DQ loss.

There was tremendous heat on him for an interview he did with Brian Fritz that was released the day before the show that said his goal for next year was to try out for Major League Baseball. Elgin, who is believed to be 26 or 27, would be old to try out as a prospect, particularly since it’s doubtful he’s played much baseball in years. He started as a pro wrestler at the age of 16, although he did play baseball in Ontario at the high school and college level. He said that he’s hired a batting coach and has been doing baseball inspired workouts for conditioning rather than his former bodybuilding oriented weight training program for pro wrestling.

There have been a number of denials that the baseball comment had anything to do with the title change, and Elgin said it was something he was never told. Officially the company categorized the title change as a creative decision.

However, what actually happened showed it was, at the very least, the straw that broke the camel’s back, among several reasons. Even though there was frustration on both sides, and the loss to Lee was last week, the plan was originally for Elgin to retain the title. When the Fritz interview ran, higher-ups were furious. While it felt like a throw away comment, the feeling was that he was booked to promote the company and the iPPV when doing the interview and instead acted like being world champion wasn’t a big deal and wanted to play baseball. There were people in power who were furious at the interview. However, the only thing said within the company officially is that they had decided to change directions and no specific reason was given, but others have talked about the different reasons, which also included communications issues and the feeling that as champion, he was not as big a star as the Briscoes and Cole. Elgin thought he was going to have a long title reign, but people started realizing that the reign was likely to end at Final Battle. Elgin also said he was never told not to do a job while champion in the PWG tournament, while others have said that he should have known that a world champion with ROH shouldn’t be doing jobs outside of ROH, let alone with non-ROH talent. It wasn’t until after that interview that the sentiment changed toward taking the title from him the next day, which was then finalized by those above Hunter Johnston on 9/4, by the same people most upset about the interview

Elgin was given the advice to keep quiet and let everything blow over.

Briscoe’s win, which came off as a big surprise to fans since nobody expected Elgin to lose the title in what is considered his home town, did not have the usual pageantry of an ROH title change. It didn’t even end the show, as the decision was made well beforehand to end with the Kyle O’Reilly & Bobby Fish vs. Young Bucks two of three fall match with the feeling that nobody would be able to follow it.

The title run had been frustrating for Elgin. He wasn’t strong with facial expressions or on promos, but could do a lot in the ring, in particular impressive power moves that always got over, and he always worked hard. He was not picked by New Japan for the Seibu Dome show when many of his peers were, even though he came in on his own dime to do a tryout. It appeared when he won the title that he was going to be booked for a major program with A.J. Styles, but with Styles winning the IWGP title, booking finishes for that program became an issue, as did the schedule of dates getting Styles, and it never materialized. He was following Cole as champion, and Cole carried himself better as champion. The change from Cole to Elgin was more because Cole had been champion and gone through most of the guys, and a title change would open up new title matches, as opposed to any negativity toward Cole.

Elgin also thought his reign as champion would go into next year, meaning he would go into the Tokyo Dome as ROH champion, and that would be another chance to prove himself to New Japan.

Whether the reasons for taking the title from him early were good or not, they ended up with the value of hindsight being unquestionably the right decision, and a lucky one.

After the show, Elgin was stopped trying to get across the border from Canada to the U.S. because he hadn’t gotten his new visa paperwork finalized and the old visa had expired. Elgin, who lives in St. Louis, was headed to Cleveland, to work the next day for Absolute Intense Wrestling, where he held their championship. They were running three straight nights. Elgin had retained his AIW Absolute title on 9/4, doing a 60 minute draw with Josh Alexander and Tim Donst. He was to retain his title here, and then return to defend the title on 9/6. When he couldn’t get across the border, it was announced at the AIW show that the title was vacated and Donst beat Alexander to win it.

Elgin was booked originally to lose the AIW title in a return three-way with Donst and Alexander on that show, likely with Donst pinning Alexander so Elgin didn’t have to do the job.

To make things worse, Elgin brought a lot of stuff to Cleveland and kept it there since he was going to Toronto and coming back, and was unable to get his stuff out of Cleveland.

At press time, the belief is that he’ll have to remain in Canada for 90 days, and live with family there. ROH is assisting Elgin in trying to get things sped up, but at this point he will be unavailable to work for the promotion until the Final Battle show in New York.

Elgin, real name Aaron Frobel, was aware of this, because he had, the prior week, canceled a 9/12 to 9/21 tour for Legend City Wrestling in Newfoundland and Labrador, telling the promotion that his paperwork was all tied up and if he did the tour, he may not be able to return to the U.S. In a letter to the promotion, he noted that he owned a home in the U.S., is married (to pro wrestler Rachel Collins Frobel, better known is MsChif) and told the promotion he had two dogs and was trying to start a family and couldn’t risk not being allowed back.

The heat on Elgin from management was significant enough, after the interview and combined with the other factors, to where his future with the company was considered tenuous. The visa issue had nothing to do with the title change, as it was made before he was held up at the border, which happened after the show.

Elgin was given the advice to lay low, and those close to the situation said he probably wouldn’t. He then wrote this on Facebook:

I want to start this by thanking friends that have reached out in this terrible time, but I want to rectify many claims that have been made. I am a very easy person to deal with. All I care about is things being done correctly. I’m in no shape or form saying that my way is correct or that I’m always right, but sometimes you need to find middle ground, which has obviously been an issue. Did I spent one minute of my time to say I wanted to try baseball? Yes. Was it intended to hurt ROH or show a lack of interest? Not at all. For 30 minutes prior I was speaking highly of ROH and the world title.

Like any interview, my main goal is to have people hear my beliefs of ROH, their history and their world title. I was never turning my back on wrestling, as it’s been the only thing that’s constant in my life since a very young age. I did play baseball in high school and college, so I wasn’t just overhyped due to any situation. I have given my life and well being to wrestling so you can dislike me and jump on the `Let’s Hate Elgin’ bandwagon if you wish, but know the story. I wrestle hurt and risk my health because of my live and respect to wrestling and the men and women who came before me. I’m not going into more detail because then I’m whining.

Many issues have arose, and it could be easy to point fingers. I will say many things were a misunderstanding that led to recent happenings. If I’m at fault, I have no problem owning up and taking responsibility. But as for now, I will say claims, reports and opinions are very wrong and just rumors. I do hope that one day (sooner than later), things will be corrected and my name is restored.

I will admit I’m in Canada, very angry, disappointed and so many other feelings that I don’t feel like going into detail about. I’m not asking for goodwill or handouts, but show some decency while you have no correct info.

All I know is, I am without my beautiful wife, our great pets and new house. We have two mortgages to pay and many other bills that my money is going toward. I have almost zero clothes and personal belongings. This is a more drastic situation than anyone could understand. To my family in St. Louis, I love and miss you. To Elgin supporters and haters alike, thank you for supporting wrestling because without you, I wouldn’t be anywhere.