Ring Of Honor Mount Rushmore

In this edition of The Wrestling Estate roundtable, we present our picks for the Ring of Honor Mount Rushmore.

Jack Goodwillie’s Ring of Honor Mount Rushmore

Gabe Sapolsky

Looking way back into the infancy of the promotion, it was the vision of head booker Gabe Sapolsky that people gravitated towards and introduced fans to the Bryan Danielsons and Low Kis of the world. Right from the get-go, Ring of Honor was about in-ring competition and it wasn’t before long that being Ring of Honor champion also bore the title of North America’s best independent talent. In Sapolsky’s vision, those two things went hand in hand. All good things must come to an end, though, as Sapolsky had really run his course by the time of his firing. But the Paul Heyman disciple, four-time WON Booker of the Year and Temple University Klein College of Media and Communication graduate (the alma mater of myself and a certain someone on this staff) really got to be the “Paul Heyman” of Ring of Honor for many years. Say what you will about his social media dealings and his feud with David Starr, but if you fell in love with the original concept of Ring of Honor, you’d be hard pressed to find someone better for this list.

CM Punk

Few independent wrestlers of the previous era came to WWE with the momentum that CM Punk did back in 2005. The standard for incoming independent talent post-WCW used to be that word would eventually break online that superstar x signed a WWE contract. Once that happened, they would go around from commitment to commitment, finish their dates and quietly file into WWE developmental, where they would receive a name change, and after about two months, they’d pop up in OVW, DSW or FCW. Punk was another story entirely. The OG Summer of Punk involved Ring of Honor turning the internet rumor into a storyline with Punk threatening to take the ROH Championship to WWE. Punk finally lost the title to ex-WWE Superstar James Gibson (Jamie Noble) of all people, but by the time he arrived in OVW, the name “CM Punk” had become so synonymous with wrestling that WWE just let him keep it. OVW head booker Paul Heyman also may have had something to do with it…

Bryan Danielson

Settling on this spot was no easy task. Danielson or McGuinness? McGuinness or Danielson? Both guys spent roughly the same amount of time in Ring of Honor, won the ROH Championship exactly one time with both reigns spanning more than a year, and had equally entertaining matches and feuds during their time in ROH, several of which came against one another. While I won’t hold it against anyone with Nigel on their list, Danielson parlaying his ROH success into a mainstream run is the tiebreaker. Injuries and a case of hepatitis B hampered Nigel’s in-ring career, but let’s not forget the decision to take TNA’s immediate offer after WWE recommended bicep surgery before signing, plus the alleged “community theater” demands that got him fired from TNA. Despite checking all the boxes of a bonafide main event player, TNA never went all the way with him, and even if it had, it just lacked the reach to make it matter. Meanwhile, Danielson came into WWE on the first season of gameshow NXT, got “fired,” got “rehired,” won over the big man as well as the masses in the main event of WrestleMania, which if you look back to his intro package in NXT, was his primary goal all along. I’ve talked a considerable amount about both here, but in a dead heat, Danielson gets the nod for putting ROH on the map in the biggest way possible.

Kevin Steen

There came a point in ROH’s history where there was no Gabe, no CM Punk, no Bryan Danielson and no Nigel McGuinness. Yet, the company continued to thrive up until about three or four years ago. The answer? Kevin Steen (later Kevin Owens). A year-long blood feud between Steen and real-life best friend El Generico set the company on fire, and the flames burned hot for four years between 2010 and 2013. Even though Jim Cornette (who was brought in to essentially run the company) HATED Steen both on and off camera, the cream still rose to the top. I remember having nothing but hate for this guy during his big heel run, and I was in college by this point! Once the feud with Generico ceased, Owens created S.C.U.M. with Jimmy Jacobs, Steve Corino and Matt Hardy and managed to be as hated as ever. He was such a great heel that it took S.C.U.M. turning on him to finally make him a babyface. Owens is the unquestioned MVP during the company’s third phase and ROH would have been lost without him.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTqgwyuv3CU

Chad Gelfand’s Ring of Honor Mount Rushmore

My picks all represent what I identify as the “Golden Age” of Ring of Honor. These were the men that built the foundation and set the precedent for what ROH represented.

Bryan Danielson was the best wrestler in the world during his ROH years, and he showcased why many view him as a wrestling genius.

Samoa Joe made himself known to the wrestling world in ROH, putting on hard-hitting matches and moving in ways we never saw big men move before.

CM Punk and his “Summer of Punk” was another step in ROH gaining more notoriety. Punk used the buzz he was getting from signing with WWE to give them one of the best angles in ROH history on the way out.

Nigel McGuinness is someone who’s in-ring legacy will always be tied to ROH. He sometimes gave too much of his body to help elevate ROH, sacrificing his ability to wrestle in WWE. He literally gave everything he had to ROH.

Juan Bautista’s Ring of Honor Mount Rushmore

Bryan Danielson

While EVOLVE might hold a special place in his heart, the greatest part of Daniel Bryan’s legacy will be taken up by a ring that he may never step in again. He is regarded as one of the founding fathers of ROH, and for good reason. At the time of this writing, he is the last ROH Pure Champion, unifying it with the World Championship. He had epic encounters with KENTA, Austin Aries, AJ Styles, Samoa Joe and many others.

Samoa Joe

The 645-day reign as ROH World Champion still stands as the longest in history. Samoa Joe had a tremendous trilogy with CM Punk and gave the belt “world title” status by defending it in England.

Nigel McGuinness

Nigel influenced an entire generation with a unique in-ring style. An excellent talent, he won multiple championships while in ROH. Jay Lethal, Kurt Angle and a few others are fortunate that his career ended because they wouldn’t have the amount of reigns they have if he was able to wrestle.

Kevin Steen

Feuding against El Generico in the ring and against Jim Cornette behind the scenes, Kevin Steen’s seven years in ROH were controversial, successful and impactful. He helped change the mold for what a wrestler can be.

David Gibb’s Ring of Honor Mount Rushmore

Bryan Danielson

The artist currently known as Daniel Bryan put Ring of Honor on the map. During a time when mainstream wrestling was significantly flattened out, Danielson proved you could be the “Best in the World” without exposure on cable.

Briscoe Brothers

Aside from their wrestling hiatus, Jay and Mark Briscoe have been constants on top ROH cards. Their matches bring a level of violence and intensity that was sorely missing from TV wrestling until relatively recently.

Nigel McGuinness

For about a two-year window, Nigel McGuiness was as good as anyone has ever been from a main event work standpoint. His blend of traditional grappling, strong Japanese-style strikes and rope-running high spots helped establish today’s style.

Samoa Joe

Joe’s run in the WWE has been so WWE-ish that it’s hard to remember his days in TNA, let alone ROH. With that said, ROH was where Joe proved he was “going to kill you” and where his opponents’ potential deaths seemed most likely. He proved that ROH wasn’t just a bunch of undersized runners and flyers; it was a carnival of the talent that didn’t fit into WWE’s cookie cutter.

John Corrigan’s Ring of Honor Mount Rushmore

Low Ki

The first ROH World Champion put the startup on the map. His intensity, movie narrator voice, jaw-dropping agility and adoption of Strong Style captivated the American audience. His sequence with Amazing Red at ROH Road to the Title is still referenced today.

Samoa Joe

The longest-reigning ROH World Champion cemented the company’s foundation as the top independent promotion in the United States. His clashes with CM Punk and Kenta Kobashi drew universal praise, including five stars from Dave Meltzer.

Bryan Danielson

ROH’s reputation for featuring the best wrestling in the world was built by Bryan Danielson, perhaps more so than anyone else. As his legend grew, so did the company’s, and the first show I went to featured him in the main event. Instantly I became a fan of the former American Dragon and ROH became another promotion to keep on my radar.

Briscoe Brothers

We’ll have to chisel half of each man’s faces together because even through Jay has two ROH World Titles to his name, he’ll be forever tied to his brother Mark. They’ve stuck with the company through thick and thin, a la Undertaker, remaining vestiges of the company’s glory days.

Steven Jackson’s Ring of Honor Mount Rushmore

Briscoe Brothers (Mark and Jay)

Dem Boys from Sandy Fork take up two spots on the Mount Rushmore. They’ve been with the promotion since day one, racking up a record 11 Tag Team Championships. Plus, Jay is a two-time ROH World Champion. They are still tearing it up and still as awesome as they always have been.

Samoa Joe

Where would ROH be without Samoa Joe? The longest single reign for an ROH World Champion in history and a former ROH Pure Champion, Samoa Joe set the standard that all champions should follow. His pedigree of matches and feuds (notably CM Punk and Kenta Kobashi) literally saved the company and made wrestlers want to join the promotion thereafter.

Christopher Daniels

When we talk about the legacy of Ring of Honor and it’s most notable figures, many men are mentioned. But none was more selfless and influential than the “Fallen Angel” Christopher Daniels. An ROH Triple Crown Champion and part of some of the most important stables, matches and feuds in the company’s history, Daniels found his calling as part of ROH and (especially in the early years) created more internet buzz and fan response than we realize. Often given the moniker of “ROH Forefather,” Daniels deserves to be etched on the mountain. Thank you, Christopher Daniels!

Oliver Newman’s Ring of Honor Mount Rushmore

My time following ROH extensively was 2002-2009. I have watched sporadic shows since then and got back into the promotion in November 2019, when ROH was made available on U.K. TV through Fight Network UK. Steven Jackson and I have since created the ROH Review podcast.

Oliver Newman is a three-time pro wrestling author. Check out his books on Amazon, Big Cartel and at Pro Wrestling Cartel in Birmingham, U.K.

Bryan Danielson

Danielson is an ROH original dating back to The Era Of Honor Begins in February 2002.

He, Low Ki and Christopher Daniels main evented the show, having one of the best triple threats in history. Danielson would have a superb series of matches with my modern-day favorite Paul London, including a tremendous two-out-of-three falls match at Epic Encounter ’03. Danielson also had an epic (Best Of Five) feud with Homicide. He finally reached the pinnacle defeating James Gibson for the ROH World Title at Glory By Honor 4 in September 2005.

Danielson had an epic run, where he even unified the ROH Pure Title in an outstanding match with Nigel McGuinness in Liverpool, U.K. Danielson’s reign ended at Final Battle 2006, as he lost to long-time rival Homicide. He stayed with ROH for another three years before leaving for WWE.

Danielson raised the stock of everyone he wrestled, never had anything worse than a good match and brought a lot of prestige to Ring Of Honor and especially the ROH World Title.

Samoa Joe

Joe debuted at Glory By Honor in 2002 against Low Ki in a match that was brutal!

He wrestled Homicide for the first time that year, igniting a series that included Joe’s last (at the time) ROH match at Five Year Festival Finale in Liverpool, U.K. in February 2007. In 2003, Joe became ROH Champion defeating the ‘All Around Best’ Xavier at Night Of Champions. Joe turned the ROH Title into a “World Title” after defending it against Zebra Kid in London at Frontiers Of Honor. Joe also wrestled CM Punk in three classic ROH World Title matches (two 60-minute draws).

Joe finally lost his ROH World Title to Generation Next’s Austin Aries in a superb match at Final Battle 2004. Going into 2005, Joe took the now ‘Franchise Of ROH’ Jay Lethal under his wing and then made a run at Lethal’s ROH Pure Title, taking it from his prodigy at Manhattan Mayhem. Joe wrestled the most famous match in ROH history against Japanese legend Kenta Kobashi at Joe vs. Kobashi ’05.

Much like Danielson, Joe raised the stock of everyone he wrestled, never had anything worse than a good match and brought a lot of prestige to Ring of Honor.

CM Punk

Punk debuted at All Star Extravaganza in 2002.

In 2003, he set his sights on Raven and did some of the best work of his career in terms of backstage/in ring promos. He was the first talker I recognized in ROH. The next year, the Second City Saints (Punk & Colt Cabana) were embroiled in a brutal feud with The Prophecy after they attacked Lucy. Punk set his sights on the ROH Pure Title, coming up short in two matches against AJ Styles. The major story coming out of this was Punk in a feud with the legendary Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat. 2004 got even busier: Punk and Cabana became ROH Tag Team Champions, he battled Samoa Joe, went after the ROH Pure Title and was still involved in a blood feud with The Prophecy.

2005 was the year of Punk: he was in a brutal feud with The Embassy and Jimmy Rave, who tried to cheese grate Punk’s straight edge tattoo off his body! Punk set his sights on the ROH World Title again and this time he was successful (even though he had signed a WWE contract). His “I’m a snake” promo was masterful and the “Summer Of Punk” is some of the best ROH work he ever did.

He’s the best promo guy in ROH history.

Nigel McGuinness

McGuinness debuted at Wrath Of The Racket ’03.

The next year, he set his sights on the ROH Pure Title, contesting my favorite ROH Pure Title match against “Hurricane” John Walters at Glory By Honor 3. McGuinness was finally able to win the ROH Pure Title from Samoa Joe at Dragon Gate Invasion ’05. He held the title all the way through to ROH Unified, when he lost an outstanding battle against ROH World Champion Bryan Danielson.

McGuinness had set his sights on becoming a double champion before Unified — now going into 2007, he focused completely on the ROH World Title, winning it from the Japanese monster Takeshi Morishima at Undeniable. McGuinness defended the title with such pride, wrestling through horrible injuries to take on all comers before finally losing to my favorite ECW wrestler ‘The New F’N Show’ Jerry Lynn at Supercard Of Honor 4 in 2009.

Holding two out of the three main ROH Titles at the time, Nigel McGuinness is probably the most important wrestler to come through the company.

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