AEW Blocked Jonathan Gresham From Overseas Tour

Jonathan Gresham has been keeping the Ring of Honor world title alive while Tony Khan shops for a new TV home for the promotion. Gresham has appeared in various promotions with the title, but its ultimate home, for the time being, is under the AEW umbrella. On this week’s episode of Rampage, Gresham is set to tag with Lee Moriarty against Tully Blanchard’s Gates of Agony.

That match almost didn’t happen. Gresham was originally scheduled for an overseas tour. He was supposed to join Buddy Matthews in World Series Wrestling in Australia but ended up staying in the US for his match on Rampage.

Spoiler Warning: Don’t read any further if you do not want the July 8 episode of AEW Rampage spoiled.

In this week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer said that Gresham was originally scheduled for the Australian tour. Instead, Tony Khan pulled the plug because AEW needed him for an angle on Rampage. On this week’s show, Jonathan Gresham turned heel as he walked out on Lee Moriarty to join Tully Blanchard Enterprises.

“Jonathan Gresham was also scheduled for that tour but pulled by AEW since they needed him in the U.S. to do his heel turn and build the ROH PPV this week.”

Jonathan Gresham is set to go into the ROH Death Before Dishonor pay-per-view as a heel as well as the world champion. That show will take place on July 23. The angle with Moriarty could be the set-up for his title match at the PPV.

Brian Cage, who is also expected to be a huge part of the re-launched Ring of Honor, also appeared on the WSW tour in Australia. While Tony Khan frequently allows talent to work elsewhere, it wasn’t in the cards for Gresham this time. As ROH champion, he’s simply needed more here right now.

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