ROHStrong Podcast

Maria Kanellis-Bennett and Bobby Cruise talk about teaming up to book ROH's revamped women's division, their working relationship, what they looked for when putting the roster together, why Rok-C was the right choice to be champion, and Deonna Purrazzo showing up at Final Battle. They also discuss the end of this era of ROH, what the future holds for them and more.

EC3 talks about unleashing “Titan” Adam Scherr at Final Battle: End of an Era and how difficult it was to keep it a surprise; his thoughts on his time in ROH; what the future holds for him and the Control Your Narrative movement; having creative freedom, and much more.

ROH COO Joe Koff reflects on Final Battle: End of an Era. He also talks about Jay Lethal returning to wrestle in the main event; appearances on the show by AEW and Impact Wrestling talent and what it means regarding the “forbidden door” going forward; why ROH changed its business model; the forthcoming new era of ROH and much more.

Joining the podcast from the other side of darkness, Holidead talks about her ROH Women's World Title shot on ROH TV Christmas weekend; her history with Twisted Sisterz tag team partner Thunder Rosa; working for Thunder Rosa's all-women's promotion, Mission Pro Wrestling; wrestling for Stardom in Japan not long after she started wrestling; being trained by Gangrel, and much more.

Former ROH owner and current ambassador Cary Silkin reflects on some classic Final Battle matches and gives his thoughts on the upcoming Final Battle: End of an Era pay-per-view. He also discusses the Briscoes' place in history, Jonathan Gresham's rise to stardom, his obsession with 1970s preliminary wrestler Lee Wong and much more.

“The Greatest Damn Woman” Gia Scott talks about her match against ROH Women's World Champion Rok-C, which took place on the latest episode of ROH TV; going through hardships as a teenager, including the death of her mother and being homeless; wrestling Angelina Love shortly after making her in-ring debut; having to regain her confidence after a long layoff from the ring because of the pandemic; training at the ROH Dojo, and much more.

The OGK (Matt Taven and Mike Bennett) talk about regaining the ROH World Tag Team Title nearly six years after winning it the first time; defending the belts against the Briscoes at Final Battle: End of an Era; how they're dealing with the uncertainty of the future; becoming locker room leaders and elevating others; why the ROH locker room and ROH fans are special; candid thoughts on Taven's feud with Vincent; Bennett wanting to inspire others with his story, and much more.

LuFisto talks about being the innovator of intergender wresting and the challenges that came along with it; competing in hardcore and death matches against Necro Butcher and Nick Gage; being a panelist on “Beyond the Belles;” her assessment of the ROH women's division; being diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2018; her love of metal music, and much more.

Rocco talks about his goals as a manager in ROH, his pro wrestling journey including his time at the ROH Dojo, the old school wrestlers and managers who influenced him, the art of cutting promos and much more.

Ken Dixon, ROH Dojo dropout and beer-drinking buddy of The Bouncers, talks about why he wasn't a good fit for the Dojo system; not breaking into pro wrestling until his late 20s; how his experiences working for the U.S. Department of Defense shaped him; getting his teeth knocked out in a match, and much more.

In the spirit of the season, Angelina Love, Bateman, and comedian/actor/wrestling podcaster Matt McCarthy talk Halloween, horror movies, the supernatural in pro wrestling, and much more.  

Willow talks about the possibility of facing Rok-C for the ROH Women's World Championship at Final Battle; being a role model for young girls; wanting to be a heel when she started wrestling; suffering a broken neck in the ring and going through the recovery process; attending a Women of Honor seminar several years ago, and much more. Plus, she demonstrates her hidden talent!

Former ROH Pure Champion Doug Williams talks about the current Pure division; his storied history in ROH, including wrestling Bryan Danielson, Jay Lethal and Jay Briscoe early in their careers; why he retired a few years ago and then decided to come back; going through a dark time during lockdown; who he'd like to wrestle in ROH, and much more.

Joe “The Answer” Hendry goes in-depth on his new persona and the motivation for reinventing himself; transforming his body and training with six-time Mr. Olympia Dorian Yates; returning to the ring for the first time in nearly a year and a half earlier this month; the status of his partnership with Dalton Castle, and much more. Plus, Hendry tests his knowledge of American pop culture!

“The Sauce” Alex Zayne talks about his surprise return at Death Before Dishonor and winning the Honor Rumble; his upcoming title match against ROH World Champion Bandido; defeating Bandido in his ROH debut last year; his release from WWE and his experience there; his backyard wrestling days and the move that made him a viral sensation, and much more.  

Taylor Rust talks about his return to ROH at Death Before Dishonor and whether he'll be sticking around; his release from NXT and his experience there; the story behind his name changes; his match against Tracy Williams in the Pure Title Tournament; nearly walking away from wrestling, and much more.

Independent wrestling promoter Dan McDevitt of MCW Pro Wrestling talks about the students from his training center who have made it to ROH; having a hand in training Lita and Mickie James; the challenges of running an independent promotion during the pandemic; getting knocked out when he wrestled The Rock; his role in a famous angle with Steve Austin; The Iron Sheik ruining his wedding, and much more.

“The Lucha Baddie” talks about her match with Rok-C in the ROH Women's World Title Tournament final at Death Before Dishonor this Sunday; what sets her apart from other women in the division and why she believes this is her time; juggling wrestling with being a full-time student, trainer and massage therapist; learning lucha style in Mexico; training with Hall of Famer Booker T; wrestling against men, and much more.

Pro wrestling on-air personality Alyssa Marino talks about hosting “Beyond the Belles” on Women's Division Wednesday; her thoughts on the ROH Women's World Title Tournament; training at Santino Bros. Wrestling Academy; her stint with NXT;  her YouTube interview show “Let's Get Cereal,” and much more. Plus, she displays her opera-singing talent!

“The Afro-Punk” Trish Adora talks about wanting to become the first black ROH Women's World Champion; wanting to win the title for her mother, who is battling cancer; spending all her money to join the ROH Combine a few years ago; having to grow up fast while living in Southeast D.C.; winning the Pan-Afrikan World Diaspora Title and what it represents; training at the Team 3D Academy and with Jonathan Gresham, World Famous CB and Sumie Sakai, and much more.

Rey Horus talks about his close friend Bandido winning the ROH World Title; his storied history with Demonic Flamita and their upcoming no-disqualification match; being trained by Rey Mysterio Sr. and wrestling as El Hijo de Rey Mysterio (Son of Rey Mysterio); getting to wrestle alongside his childhood idol, Rey Mysterio Jr.; winning the ROH World Six-Man Tag Team title in his second match in ROH, and much more.

Legendary ring announcer Gary Michael Cappetta reflects on his storied career, including working for the McMahons, the NWA, AWA and WCW. He also talks about his time as a backstage interviewer during the early years of ROH; his appearance in AEW last year; his history with Rhett Titus; his thoughts on Jonathan Gresham and Tracy Williams, and much more.

Fresh off helping David Arquette's team win on ABC's “Celebrity Family Feud,” Dalton Castle takes time out of his very busy schedule to join the podcast. The former ROH World Champion discusses his experience on the game show; his friendship with Arquette; the status of his tag team with Joe Hendry, and more. Unfortunately, he couldn't stay long. He's busy!

“The Queen of Suplexes” Nicole Savoy talks about being in the ROH Women's World Title Tournament and facing Mazzerati in the first round; her prior experience in ROH; suffering a torn ACL during her WWE tryout; the story behind Big Swole and Lil Swole; being a self-proclaimed nerd, and much more!  

“The Hot Mess” Chelsea Green discusses her surprise appearance at Best in the World (as well as her subsequent surprise appearance elsewhere); her long-held goal to compete in ROH; her provocative podcast, Green With Envy; her desire to work with Playboy; playing Daniel Bryan's therapist on Raw after being in the business only a few months; her time on WWE Tough Enough; working as Laurel Van Ness in Impact, and much more!  

The Allure's Mandy Leon discusses her upcoming match against Quinn McKay; what she thinks about Maria Kanellis-Bennett; potentially facing Angelina Love in the ROH Women's World Title Tournament; and her thoughts on some of the other competitors in the tournament. Also, ROH backstage interviewer BrIan Zane talks about his popular Wrestling With Wregret YouTube channel; how he got his job with ROH; training to be a pro wrestler, and more.

Bandido talks about winning Survival of the Fittest and facing RUSH for the ROH World Championship at Best in the World this Sunday; why he signed (and re-signed) with ROH when he had offers from WWE and other promotions; teaming with Rey Mysterio in the main event of All In; the criticism he received from his trainer Ultimo Guerrero that motivated him to excel; wrestling at Madison Square Garden, and much more.

“The Savageweight” Fred Yehi talks about his upcoming Pure Title Match against champion Jonathan Gresham and their history together; the benefits of being a free agent; the story behind  his persona; the importance of black ownership in pro wrestling; working for NJPW Strong, and much more.

Papa Briscoe, the always entertaining patriarch of the Briscoe clan, talks about the sibling rivalry between Jay and Mark and their upcoming fight on the farm on ROH TV; teaming with his sons in a six-man tag match at Final Battle 2010; whether he will step in the ring again; getting worked up when he's watching his sons wrestle in person, and much more. Plus, Jay and Mark make cameo appearances!

Vita VonStarr of The Righteous talks about receiving her ticket to gold for the ROH Women's World Title Tournament; her ROH in-ring debut against Sumie Sakai and their history together; working in the circus as an aerialist; her background in skateboarding and snowboarding; her love of metal music and horror movies, and much more.

Danhausen and comedian/actor Matt McCarthy join the podcast and hilarity ensues! Danhausen talks about being in Survival of the Fittest; teaming with PCO; appearing on Conan O'Brien's podcast; and his social media interactions with The Rock, CM Punk and KENTA. McCarthy discusses his love of pro wrestling and ROH fandom; his time on the WWE creative team; co-hosting the “We Watch Wrestling” podcast; and the famous commercials he's appeared in. Plus much more!

Pinkies up, Honor Nation! Multi-time former world champion Allysin Kay joins the podcast to talk about competing in the ROH Women’s World Title Tournament this summer; how the pandemic has affected her career; her health scare a few years ago that had her contemplating retirement; her history with frenemy Mia Yim; creating original online content, and much more.

Joe Keys talks about his breakout match against his coach Jonathan Gresham for the Pure Title and the huge impact Gresham has had on his career; being a co-winner of the rankings battle royal and his match against LSG on ROH TV this weekend; breaking in with Lio Rush and Velveteen Dream in MCW Pro Wrestling; how his mother (a judge and former state prosecutor) found out he was a wrestler; making the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine in his “real” job with a pharmaceutical company.

"The Prodigy' Rok-C talks about receiving the first “ticket to gold” for entrance into the ROH Women’s World Title Tournament; beginning her wrestling training at 13; training under Hall of Famer Booker T; inspiring young people to follow their dreams; her cameo appearance on “Total Divas” when she was a kid, and much more.

Chris Dickinson talks about working with Brody King, Homicide and Tony Deppen in Violence Unlimited and his history with each of them; growing up an ROH fan and the ROH match that inspired him to become a pro wrestler; being involved in intergender wrestling; his infamous match against Kimber Lee and how it affected his career; the role PCO played in his career; wrestling in Japan, and much more.

Former ROH commentator Lenny Leonard reveals details about his imminent return to the company. He also talks about how he broke into pro wrestling as a ring announcer and his time in ROH, including some of his favorite matches and moments, working with Gabe Sapolsky and Dave Prazak, his role in the film “The Wrestler” and much more.

Homicide talks about returning to ROH after a seven-year absence to join Brody King, Chris Dickinson and Tony Deppen in Violence Unlimited; wrestling on the inaugural ROH show; winning the ROH World Title from Bryan Danielson and their best-of-five series; his long history with Jay Lethal; wrestling CM Punk in a strip club; his infamous match against Necro Butcher; the four wrestlers he thinks should be first-ballot ROH Hall of Famers, and much more

“The Voice of Ring of Honor'' Bobby Cruise reflects on his many memorable moments as ROH ring announcer, including debuting as Steve Corino’s personal ring announcer, having a ringside seat for numerous classic matches, and getting a little too close to the action in incidents involving Jay Lethal and Necro Butcher. He also talks about his experience announcing for WWE and his relationship with Hall of Fame ring announcer Howard Finkel.

WIth the 500th episode of “Ring of Honor Wrestling” approaching, Chris Hero joins the podcast to reflect on being in the main event on Episode 1. He also discusses his longtime association with former tag partner in The Kings of Wrestling, Claudio Castagnoli; the story behind the legendary ROH-CZW feud; whether a return to ROH could be in his future; his time in NXT; his series of grueling matches against CM Punk in IWA Mid-South; his new podcast with Conrad Thompson and much more.

“Infinite” Eli Isom talks about getting COVID-19 and then testing positive for it again; his first ROH match in more than a year against Rey Horus; bonding with his mother over pro wrestling and her  death in a car accident right before he began pro wrestling training; the story behind his win over Christopher Daniels less than a year into his career; his time in Shinobi Shadow Squad, and much more.

In celebration of the 50th episode of the podcast, ROH COO Joe Koff joins the show to talk about ROH’s approach to doing business during the pandemic; the company celebrating its 19th anniversary and nearing its 500th episode of TV; the possibility of ROH working with other promotions; whether there will be an ROH Hall of Fame; growing up as a wrestling fan in New York and working with Championship Wrestling from Florida in the 80s, and much more.

“The Big, Bad Kaiju” O’Shay Edwards talks about his decision to come out as bisexual last year; leaving his job as a firefighter to pursue a career in wrestling at age 30; training under Hall of Famer Robert Gibson and at the ROH Dojo; his ROH debut against Sledge and their upcoming rematch; working with Shane Taylor Promotions, and much more.

Amy Rose talks about her role with La Faccion Ingobernable; how attending a comic book convention led to her breaking into pro wrestling; training at the Team 3D Academy and ROH Dojo; going from bell-ringer to manager in ROH; whether she plans to compete in the women’s division, and much more.

Mark and Vicky Haskins talk about having a successful marriage and raising kids while working in pro wrestling; breaking into the industry as teenagers; and what they’ve been up to in England during the pandemic. Mark also discusses his ROH run, including his time in LifeBlood, and why he recently re-signed. Vicky opens up about being in a wheelchair for a few years when she was a kid, and tells the story of making her impromptu debut as a manager in a match involving CM Punk and Raven with absolutely no training. Plus much more.

LSG talks about his eye-opening performance against Jay Lethal; enduring a frustrating 2019 and facing uncertainty about his future with ROH until recently; the ups and downs of Coast 2 Coast; C2C’s memorable match against War Machine; his backyard wrestling days, and much more.

World Famous CB talks about reinventing himself after nearly a decade as Cheeseburger; becoming friends with his idol, Jushin “Thunder” Liger; his friendship with the late Hana Kimura; wanting to quit after his first day of training at the ROH Dojo; wrestling at the Tokyo Dome; opening his own wrestling school, and much more.

“The Metalhead Maniac” Sledge opens up about overcoming his drug and alcohol addiction; being homeless at one point; the phone call that saved his life; how he ended up on Steve Austin’s podcast a few years ago; putting himself on ROH’s radar; his first official ROH match; and, of course, his love of metal music.

“The Mile High Magnum” Dak Draper discusses his recent move to ROH's Pure division; being discovered by a WWE Hall of Famer/talent scout while he was a collegiate wrestler; spending two years in NXT; the legend of Sammy Six Guns Jr.; wrestling against Haku and The Barbarian on an independent show, and much more.

Session Moth Martina discusses why she signed with ROH instead of WWE; what it was like being the new person in the ROH locker room; her ROH debut against Sumie Sakai; creating her in-ring persona; participating in death matches and intergender matches; working for Stardom in Japan, and much more.  

Tony Deppen talks about being invited back to ROH because of overwhelming fan support, having COVID-19, his match against Dragon Lee for the ROH World Television Title at Final Battle, participating in the Pure Title Tournament, getting his start in backyard wrestling and much more.

In the most heated episode of the podcast, Brian Johnson talks about his long journey to ROH; competing in the 2019 Top Prospect Tournament; being roughed up by an announcer, referee, camera man and executive in a match at Unauthorized; losing to Danhausen at Final Battle; and more. The oftentimes contentious conversation between Johnson and host Kevin Eck escalates to an explosive conclusion.