Chris Sabin’s Future Is Here
The 18-year veteran challenges for the ROH World Television Championship at Death Before Dishonor.
If Chris Sabin becomes champion of television, his first decree would be to ban people from bidding one dollar over the previous bidder on Price Is Right. His second decree would be to bring back The Office.
“It has to be with Michael Scott, though,” Sabin told The Wrestling Estate.
The 18-year veteran is keeping things light as he heads into one of the biggest matches of his career this Friday at Death Before Dishonor. On paper, he’s challenging Punishment Martinez for the ROH World Television Championship. But beyond the surface, he’s embarking on familiar, yet untrodden terrain.
At last year’s Death Before Dishonor, Sabin and longtime partner Alex Shelley – known around the world as the Motor City Machine Guns – defeated The Young Bucks for the ROH World Tag Team Titles. A repeat was not in the cards this year, as MCMG has disbanded.
In the end, MCMG’s final match was against @NickJacksonYB, @MattJackson13, @njpwShowT, and @njpwyohei_k. I really don’t think I could’ve asked for a better ending. Four guys I love very much who I hope I helped some over the years. Thank you, gentlemen.
— @Lx$ (@fakekinkade) July 23, 2018
Special thanks to @hidakaikuto, without whom there would have never been an MCMG to begin with.
— @Lx$ (@fakekinkade) July 23, 2018
At Ring of Honor’s TV tapings in Atlanta in late July, Shelley announced that he was stepping away from pro wrestling. After suffering a concussion and having his teeth knocked out during a six-man tag team gauntlet match in June, the 35-year-old athlete re-evaluated his life choices, deciding that he didn’t have much left to offer the industry.
“More importantly, I just don’t think the Motor City Machine Guns are needed,” Shelley said during his choked-up goodbye speech. It was a hard truth to accept, but there really isn’t anything left for Shelley and Sabin to achieve together. Since joining forces in 2006, the resilient, high-flying, high-octane duo had racked up five tag team title reigns in ROH, Impact Wrestling and New Japan, among other promotions. They were voted Tag Team of the Year by Pro Wrestling Illustrated in 2010, and influenced many of the teams working the independent circuit today.
While the wrestling world was caught off guard by Shelley’s revelation, Sabin was somewhat expecting it. “While we were teaming in Ring of Honor, he was still attending school,” Sabin said. “I knew at some point he was going to have to go all in. He let me know ahead of time and I tried to see it in the most positive way possible.”
Real-life friends away from the ring, Shelley expressed his support of Sabin pursuing a single’s career. Having competed in the Best of the Super Juniors tournament in May, Sabin “opened a lot of people’s eyes,” said Shelley, imploring his partner to fulfill his potential, preferably by winning the ROH TV Title.
Of course, Sabin is no stranger to going it alone. Most fans discovered the Michigan native in 2003, when he was a pioneer of the X-Division. His breakneck style and jaw-dropping offense left audiences in awe, singing the praises of “The Future.” Before departing TNA in 2014, he would become the company’s sixth Triple Crown champion.
Well, the future has arrived. The landscape of wrestling has completely changed since Sabin pursued a single’s career. More promotions have gained national attention and more services are connecting performers with new audiences. Whereas TNA prevented talent such as Sabin and Shelley from working for different promotions in the past, now companies are sharing talent to the point where stars like Sami Callihan and Pentagon Jr. can be seen on multiple networks each week.
It’s such a contrast from when Sabin broke into the business in the summer of 2000: ECW and WCW, platforms where he would have thrived, went out of business less than a year later. Fast forward to today – there are so many opportunities for wrestlers to make a living.
“This is right at the beginning of a new golden age of wrestling,” Sabin said. “It seems like if you’re good and talented enough, you can make money somewhere. There are lots of opportunities right now, but the next several years are going to be great for wrestling.”
#ROH World Television Championship Match: @ROHPunishment (c) vs @SuperChrisSabin at #ROHDBD
Fri Sept 28 – 9e/6p – @orleansarena – #ROHVegas
LIVE on PPV / FREE for #HonorClub VIP / 50% off for Standard MembersTickets: https://t.co/6pHX3FVaf5 pic.twitter.com/xolnmmDdnk
— ROH Wrestling (@ringofhonor) September 20, 2018
He plans on riding that wave of momentum into uncharted territory: Madison Square Garden. With ROH and New Japan invading McMahonland in April, Sabin has never been closer to achieving a childhood dream. “One of my greatest memories in wrestling is watching Bret Hart beat Yokozuna for the world title at WrestleMania X,” he said. “Man, it would be so cool for me to be able to perform in that building.”
If he gets booked on the G1 Supercard, his dream scenario is challenging Jay Lethal for the ROH World Heavyweight Championship. Of course, a lot can happen before then, such as Lethal losing the belt or Sabin defending a title of his own.
But he has to get through Martinez first. “I have a lot of experience wrestling big guys,” Sabin said. “I’m going to watch his matches, devise a plan, execute that plan and hopefully walk out the Television Champion.”
ROH Death Before Dishonor airs LIVE from the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas on Friday, September 28, 2018 at 9 p.m. EDT on traditional cable and satellite Pay-Per-View providers, and streaming free for HonorClub VIP, 50% off for HonorClub Standard members, and through FITE TV. Become a member of HonorClub here.
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