Bandido off ROH Final Battle due to positive COVID-19 test

[Big Red Machine]

https://www.f4wonline.com/ring-honor/ba ... est-362211
By Ethan Renner | @EthanRenner | Dec 9, 2021 3:56 pm

ROH World Champion Bandido will miss Saturday's Final Battle after testing positive for COVID-19.

The company announced today that Bandido tested positive and will not be at the Baltimore-area event this Saturday, December 11. Bandido had been scheduled to defend the ROH World title against Jonathan Gresham on the show. No replacement match has been announced.

ROH released a statement on Twitter regarding the news:

"#FinalBattle update. Get well soon @bandidowrestler! Match updates will be released as soon as possible."

"Unfortunately, ROH World Champion Bandido returned a positive result on his most recent Covid Testing and will not be present at Final Battle this Saturday, December 11th in Baltimore.

Thank you for continuously supporting Ring of Honor through it all and we appreciate your understanding that safety and health of our talents, staff and fans are our top priorities.

Stay tuned for match updates regarding Final Battle 2021 as we commemorate the history-making era that is coming to an end."

ROH will go on hiatus following Final Battle, with a relaunch planned for Spring 2022, although no future dates have been announced, and no talent will be under contract after March 31, 2022.

[Big Red Machine]

There goes the match on the card I wanted to see the most. Gresham would have been a fitting final champion.

Now I'm really hoping that Tony Khan is nice enough to loan them Dragon (although it'd be crazy for him to do). I'm not even sure who else I'd want to see as the final champion other than Gresham, Dragon, Nigel (who isn't possible) or Joe.

[cero2k]

There goes the match on the card I wanted to see the most. Gresham would have been a fitting final champion.

Now I'm really hoping that Tony Khan is nice enough to loan them Dragon (although it'd be crazy for him to do). I'm not even sure who else I'd want to see as the final champion other than Gresham, Dragon, Nigel (who isn't possible) or Joe.

Shane Taylor is trying really hard to get the winner of his and King's match to challenge Gresham for the (what should be by now) vacant title. STP and Gresham pretty much carried ROH this year, I really wouldn't mind if that was it.

Other people have suggested ROH straight up gives AEW the rights to ALL IN for a chance to use Dragon

[cero2k]

UPDATE

AEW'S TONY KHAN TO 'LEND SOME SUPPORT' TO ROH FOR FINAL BATTLE PPV
https://www.f4wonline.com/aew-news/aews ... ppv-362281

AEW head Tony Khan said that he will be helping out Ring of Honor for their Saturday Final Battle pay-per-view.

Khan revealed the news during his weekly appearance on Busted Open Radio to promote Friday's episode of Rampage.

He said he wishes the company the best and that "I'll be doing some things to support them in their last show to make it a good show for them." He didn't clarify, nor was he asked, what that entailed but it's assumed to be talent.

In a last-minute blow to the card, ROH lost World Champion Bandido Thursday after a positive COVID-19 test. He was set to defend against Jonathan Gresham and no replacement match has yet to be announced.

"...Over the weekend, I am going to lend some support to them and try and help them out because it’s the right thing to do," Khan said.

While purely speculative, that support could be former ROH World Champion Jay Lethal, who AEW signed in November. Any AEW talent added to the show would likely be announced ahead of time to drive additional buys or HonorClub subscriptions.

ROH announced they will go dark in the first quarter of 2022 as they internally reassess what the future of the company will be, likely to be one that uses non-contracted talent assuming they return in April.

[Big Red Machine]

There goes the match on the card I wanted to see the most. Gresham would have been a fitting final champion.

Now I'm really hoping that Tony Khan is nice enough to loan them Dragon (although it'd be crazy for him to do). I'm not even sure who else I'd want to see as the final champion other than Gresham, Dragon, Nigel (who isn't possible) or Joe.

Shane Taylor is trying really hard to get the winner of his and King's match to challenge Gresham for the (what should be by now) vacant title. STP and Gresham pretty much carried ROH this year, I really wouldn't mind if that was it.

Other people have suggested ROH straight up gives AEW the rights to ALL IN for a chance to use Dragon

Yeah, he was trying desperately on Barnett's podcast to frame Kenny King costing him the world title back in February as Kenny taking a moment away from Black wrestlers, which came off as completely ridiculous in a company that has had a Black world champion before (and it also came off as ridiculous when you consider that he never once said that on TV). It's pretty clear he wants the world title for himself as a feather in his cap.
Gresham deserves it, and he deserves to have a fresh opponent who he can beat clean in a manner where there was no kayfabe doubt he was the best wrestler.

I also strongly disagree with the idea that STP were carrying the promotion. They were very good (and Taylor was excellent on the mic), but after Kenny King cost Taylor the title, they did absolutely nothing that felt important in any way. The people who carried that company this year were Gresham, Bandido, Dragon Lee, Taven, Flamita, and Jay Briscoe (you can make an argument for Lethal, Deppen, Woods, and Brody King, but I don't think it's as strong).


I had been thinking about the title finding it's way into AEW, but I think the following things need to happen in order for that to work well and make sense for everyone:
1. It can't just be given. Either someone comes in as the champ, or Dragon goes to ROH and wins the title, then brings it in with him and they unify it with the AEW Title.
2. Tony buys the tape library. If the belt itself is going to be (lacking a better term) up for sale, then it makes sense for the person who buys the belt to buy it's history, and the library loses a bit of value to ROH without the belt to go with it.


Also, if you're bringing in the world title, it can't hurt to bring in the tag titles, too (especially with this teased Briscoes vs. FTR match). I assume the Briscoes are going to win the belts tomorrow night. Considering what the Briscoes have said in the past about not wanting to have to go on the road full time because they don't want to leave the farm, AEW seems like the best landing place for them.

[cero2k]

I also strongly disagree with the idea that STP were carrying the promotion. They were very good (and Taylor was excellent on the mic), but after Kenny King cost Taylor the title, they did absolutely nothing that felt important in any way. The people who carried that company this year were Gresham, Bandido, Dragon Lee, Taven, Flamita, and Jay Briscoe (you can make an argument for Lethal, Deppen, Woods, and Brody King, but I don't think it's as strong).

Maybe in the ring, but I haven't really found anything that Rush and family did interesting; Bandido felt really random to me as a world champion; Taven I'll give you, but mostly for the Vincent break up and feud. Briscoe I feel i've just seen enough of him on ROH, like nothing felt fresh per say, them going for the titles is just about poetry at this point. Personally, the two things that I found most interesting this year was Gresham and STP. I like King, but I felt that him and Dickinson were like wildcards, I see them in every other promotion that they didn't make a memory in my head.

Gresham MUST win the title IMO, and that's why I'm not against Taylor getting a shot if he is gonna lose to Gresham. I just don't think they're sending out Dragon a week before Dragon goes for the AEW title, unless Dragon wins and that becomes chaotic for whatever ROH is planning for the future, it be another Omega/Impact situation where AEW won't want Dragon losing the title to just anyone. I feel they're getting someone like Cole, who is a big name, but can take an L right now.

[cero2k]

Ignore all my speculation, it was the least imaginative option available, but I guess one that makes sense

[Big Red Machine]

Ignore all my speculation, it was the least imaginative option available, but I guess one that makes sense

I imagine Tony will allow Lethal to get beaten here. Having someone (either Bandido in a month or two, or Gresham after SCOH, if it happens) is probably a little better than bringing in a new champion right before you're crowning your first TBS Champion.

[cero2k]

Having someone (either Bandido in a month or two, or Gresham after SCOH, if it happens) is probably a little better than bringing in a new champion right before you're crowning your first TBS Champion.

not really sure what you mean here. TBS champion will be a woman.

[Big Red Machine]

Having someone (either Bandido in a month or two, or Gresham after SCOH, if it happens) is probably a little better than bringing in a new champion right before you're crowning your first TBS Champion.

not really sure what you mean here. TBS champion will be a woman.

It's still introducing two belts at the same time. You've only got so much TV time to go around.

[cero2k]

It's still introducing two belts at the same time. You've only got so much TV time to go around.

oh oh oh ok, I thought you were implying that whoever was coming would also win the TBS title