Ring of Honor Wrestling sent out the following:

This Sunday afternoon, Ring of Honor presents our “10th Anniversary Event” live from The Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City!

The festivities officially begin at 5PM EST, but before we go live on iPPV, there will be a special autograph signing at 4pm with the two of the guys who have been here since day one, the 7-Time ROH World Tag Team Champions, Jay & Mark Briscoe, and “The First Lady of ROH” Maria Kanellis. It’s hard to believe it’s been ten years since we first set foot in the Murphy Rec Center in Philadelphia for “The Era of Honor Begins”. So much has changed, but one thing that always stays the same is ROH’s commitment to present the absolute best professional wrestling on the planet to our faithful fans. That tradition continues on Sunday and here’s a look at the match-ups for this historical event:

Main Event
“Young Wolves Rising”
ROH World Champion Davey Richards & Kyle O’Reilly vs. “Die Hard” Eddie Edwards & Adam Cole

The story of Richards & Edwards is well-known; their trilogy of matches is a modern classic as they’ve battled over both the TV Title & World Title with Richards winning the most recent bout at “Final Battle 2011”. There’s been tension, dissension, and distrust, but at the end of that last clash they shook hand and embraced like the brothers they have been more so many years. On the other hand, Kyle O’Reilly and Adam Cole have a much shorter history as Future Shock, one not filled with the great successes of The American Wolves, and while they have bonded over their time as a team, their relationship was nowhere near as strong as that of The Wolves. So when Kyle began gravitating more towards Davey Richards as a training partner, when he elected to shine a spotlight on Edwards’ deception in the Dan Severn situation, it illuminated an aspect of the Richards/O’Reilly relationship thus far unseen. Kyle’s bond with Davey as both friend & training partner was obviously stronger than his relationship with Cole and as such, it seemed that O’Reilly was also receiving a share of Davey’s spotlight, leaving his Future Shock partner in the shadows.

So between Davey & Kyle teaming at “ROH Underground” in Richmond to earn a shot at the ROH World Tag Titles, uniting on “Ring of Honor Wrestling” TV, and battling The Briscoes at “Rise & Prove” in Cincinnati, it certainly appeared that O’Reilly had left Future Shock in his past, and Adam Cole in his rearview mirror. In the meantime, Cole didn’t just sit on his laurels, waiting for something to happen, rather he stepped up to the plate at “The Homecoming 2012” against Roderick Strong, taking Eddie’s place in a No DQ match AFTER he already fought Haas & Benjamin earlier in the night. He lost, but a standing ovation from the fans showcased just how hard he fought. The next night, while Team Richards fought over a title shot, Cole took on Kevin Steen, again in a losing effort, but the involvement of Edwards in both bouts showcased a growing bond of respect between the two men. That bond came to a head on “Ring of Honor Wrestling” TV when Edwards officially offered Cole a partnership with someone who actually respected him and wasn’t just killing time, waiting to become an American Wolf with Davey (to paraphrase Eddie). That’s what brought us here to “Young Wolves Rising” as Cole & O’Reilly team with Edwards & Richards respectively to prove themselves deserving of that top tier slot. Eddie & Davey have done this dance many times over; they know each other as well as anybody and a battle between the two of them can go either way. Adam & Kyle are the x-factors in this bout and the weight of the world is on their shoulders in NYC…as both men intimated in their respective blogs, this is their opportunity to shine, to prove themselves, and rise to the top…

ROH World Tag Team Championship
Jay & Mark Briscoe defend against The Young Bucks

Matt & Nick Jackson have been a pair of disrespectful “superstars” since the day they returned to Ring of Honor last summer. Whether it be in their total disregard for the Code of Honor, the way they reportedly carry themselves around the rest of the wrestlers in the locker room, or their seeming desire to hurt opponents (as evidenced at “Final Battle 2011” with Rhett Titus), they haven’t made any friends in the last few months. Unfortunately it doesn’t appear much will change because, in spite of their attitudes & actions, they have been extremely successful. It’s been victory after victory culminating in that “FB ‘11” Gauntlet Match where they won this Tag Team Title opportunity and put Rhett Titus on the shelf.

The Briscoes have been equally as successful in recent months, capturing the ROH World Tag Titles for the 7th time at “Final Battle 2011” from Haas & Benjamin, and completely flipping how the fans received them in the process. 6 months earlier Dem Boys were hated men, that night they were the heroes of the day, and while they appreciate it, Jay & Mark Briscoe could likely care less either way. What they do care about is representing ROH to the fullest as two of the few men that have been here since day one, and they care about winning, which is something they have done in spades. Since winning the belts they have beaten both Coleman & Alexander as well as Richards & O’Reilly, and have had to deal with Haas & Benjamin nipping at their heels as well. The main defeat the Briscoes have tasted was against Team CHIKARA in a Proving Ground match, and the winner of this bout will likely be facing Jigsaw & Hallowicked at “Unity” in April. So will it be Dem Boys, Sandy Fork’s Own Briscoes who celebrate the anniversary of the company they helped build? Or will it be The Young Bucks, team Hollywood, who add yet another reason to gloat to their resume?

ROH World Television Championship
Jay Lethal defends against “The Dominant Male” Tommaso Ciampa w/ The Embassy LTD

New York City has been good to Jay Lethal since his homecoming to Ring of Honor at “Best in the World 2011”. In his return bout he bested Mike Bennett, went on to capture the ROH World TV Title from El Generico in Chicago, and then beat both Generico & Bennett at “Final Battle 2011” last time in New York to retain the championship. He stepped up his game in two ROH World Title bouts against Davey Richards, both marred by outside interference from the House of Truth, and many feel he would have claimed the title if not for those distractions. Now he steps into the ring with the only man who has actually defeated him in a Proving Ground match, Tommaso Ciampa. Sure Roderick Strong went the distance with Lethal, but Ciampa is the only man to actually pin Lethal in the Proving Ground.

One has to wonder what sort of psychological advantage that victory, along with Ciampa’s tremendous undefeated streak since his ROH debut over a year ago, can offer to The Embassy Ltd. Ciampa has, at first quietly and now very vocally, cemented himself as a threat to every individual on the ROH roster, and every championship. This is the culmination of his winning streak thus far, and it is an almost certainty that Ciampa & The Embassy want nothing more than for “The Dominant Male” to run over Lethal, claim the TV Title as his own, and then proceed to do the same to Davey Richards or whomever the ROH World Champion may be. Will Lethal be the man to end Tommaso’s streak or, once again, end up just another victim of Project Ciampa?

NO DQ – Grudge Match
Jimmy Jacobs takes on “Wrestling’s Worst Nightmare” Kevin Steen

The story that brought us here is filled with violence, blood, and broken dreams. Suffice to say that Jimmy Jacobs, since returning to the fold at “Supercard of Honor VI”, stood at the side of Steve Corino throughout his rehabilitation process as his sponsor and, when necessary, fought beside him, both physically and in spirit, against the likes of Mike Bennett, Michael Elgin, El Generico, and yes, Kevin Steen. As one of, if not the, most evil man in ROH’s ten-year history, Jimmy Jacobs sees a great deal of his past in Kevin Steen’s eyes.

As the leader of The Age of The Fall, Jacobs spilled blood at levels possibly unparalleled in ROH and committed atrocities involving barbwire, hanging, and railroad spikes without getting into the gory details. He put the love of his life at risk without a second though, and was even willing to assault her himself when she turned away from him. When he was, quite literally, thrown out the front door several years ago, ROH breathed a collective sigh of relief, but held our breaths once more when he came back. Thankfully the Jacobs we have seen in the ensuing months has not been that same man…but that could all change Sunday.

Kevin Steen brought out the evil in Steve Corino at “Final Battle 2011” and quite possibly fed off it, fueling his own depraved ambitions of blood and gore, as he laid waste to Corino, Jacobs, nearly Jim Cornette, and finally El Generico, earning his reinstatement to ROH in the process. Steen’s reign of terror is in its infancy and Jacobs is now taking it on his shoulders to accomplish what Corino did not. What happens if & when evil meets evil?

Special Attraction Tag Team Match
The Amazing Red & “Technical Lightning” TJ Perkins vs. The House of Truth (“Unbreakable” Michael Elgin & Roderick Strong) w/ Truth Martini

The Amazing Red was one of the innovators of aerial combat in the early days of ROH, competing in the first official match in history against Jay Briscoe, and going on to reign as Tag Team Champion alongside AJ Styles. A series of injuries kept him out of competition for quite some time, and it has been many years since we have seen Red inside the ROH ring, so it is with great excitement that we welcome back one of our own for the “10th Anniversary Event”! With TJ Perkins as his partner, it’s the innovators of two ROH eras coming together, but they are up against stiff competition in The House of Truth. Strong & Elgin are both poised to receive title shots (Roderick at the TV, Elgin at the World) and need, crave, demand victory here as they wait for their opportunities. There’s nothing personal wrapped up here, nothing at stake save bragging rights, and the desire of both teams to steal the show. What a triumph it would be for Red to return to his roots for the first time in 8 years and take home a victory alongside TJ! What a triumph it would be for Strong & Elgin to once again make the Hammerstein HoT territory as they did at “Final Battle 2011” when Roddy beat Hero & Elgin beat Perkins!

“Glory By Honor X” Tag Team Rematch
Wrestling’s Greatest Tag Team (Charlie Haas & Shelton Benjamin) vs. The All Night Express (Rhett Titus & Kenny King)

WGTT have become jerks in recent months, to put it kindly, and have decided that a good chair across the skull as just as productive as a headlock, and that paying fines is well worth it if it sends a right (or wrong depending on your position) message. Since losing the ROH Tag Titles to The Briscoes, Haas & Benjamin’s mean streak has come out in full force and they have basically thrown any regard for the rules out the window, caring less if the match ends in a DQ.

ANX, as a duo, have been on the shelf since “Final Battle 2011” when The Young Bucks took advantage of Titus’ already bum knee and delivered quite a brutal assault, earning a Tag Title shot in the process, and forcing Titus to take time off to get surgery. In the interim, King has gone it solo to mixed success, but itching for Titus’ return and a chance to not only get revenge on The Bucks, but get that Tag Title shot they earned by beating WGTT on The Proving Ground. Before that can happen though, ANX must get past WGTT in this bout. Titus knee will, obviously, be a question of if he came back to soon and one would suspect WGTT to go straight for it, but given the states of mind of both teams, this could prove to just be a fight of four angry men looking to lay a beating on each other.

Special Attraction
“The Notorious 187” Homicide vs. “The Prodigy” Mike Bennett w/ Brutal Bob & Maria Kanellis

Announced recently, the former ROH World Champion “The Notorious 187” Homicide has signed on to come back home and knock some respect into “The Prodigy” Mike Bennett after his comments regarding New York, ROH, and the men who carried it on their backs over the years. Bennett fancies himself ROH’s only true superstar, Homicide, on the other hand, fancies ROH meaning “Ring of Homicide” and aims to show Bennett just what that interpretation means firsthand. Maria & Brutal Bob better watch out because it doesn’t take much to set Homicide off and when that happens, no one is safe.

Steve Corino is also scheduled to appear at the event but in what fashion only he knows right now. Perhaps it will be to join the commentary team, rehashing what he did at the very first event ten years ago. We will have to wait and see how “The King of Old School”, fresh off a trip to Japan, impacts the “10th Anniversary Event”.

Tickets for the event will be available at the door on Sunday afternoon, or you can order it live on iPPV at http://www.gfl.tv/Events/Fight/Wrestling/Ring_of_Honor__10th_Anniversary_Show/1319/?refCode=GFLA152 for only $10! Come celebrate our 10th birthday with us in New York City and experience the best pro wrestling on the planet for yourself!!!