ROH Wrestlers Backstage At This Week’s AEW Dynamite

Ring of Honor is heading into a very uncertain period. The promotion recently released every wrestler on their roster. After the Final Battle pay-per-view on Saturday, December 11, 2021, ROH will shut their doors. They plan to return in the spring with a complete restructuring and reboot.

When the ROH talents were released, they were allowed to start working anywhere they wanted, immediately. Jay Lethal has already turned up in AEW. Many expect to see Danhausen make a move once his leg injury heals. The Briscoes are in the free agent discussion, too. At this week’s Dynamite, two contracted ROH stars were spotted in the back, according to Dave Meltzer in this week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter.

“Matt Taven and Jonathan Gresham, who were both under ROH contracts that expire in a few weeks, were backstage at the show.”

Matt Taven and Mike Bennett make up The OGK, the current ROH World Tag Team Champions. They are scheduled to face Mark and Jay Briscoe for the titles at Final Battle. Jonathan Gresham will challenge Bandido for the ROH World title at the show. They’re both well-known names who stand very good chances of landing with Impact or AEW.

As fans reflect on their memories of Ring of Honor over the years, reality is creeping closer and closer for those signed to the company. The pro wrestling talent market is as loaded with unsigned wrestlers as it has been in a long time. With WWE turning their focus away from independent wrestlers, AEW will be the landing spot for many of the displaced ROH talents.

Final Battle will feature five ROH title matches. The only non-title bout scheduled for the show is a grudge match between Kenny King and Shane Taylor. It’s going to be a bittersweet, yet historic event for long-time fans of Ring of Honor.

Do you think Jonathan Gresham or Matt Taven will end up in AEW? Share your opinion in the comments!