It’s already been reported that Triple H is ready to poach and raid Ring of Honor wrestling to add to the NXT roster and it’s no surprise why. ROH is a long-standing major independent promotion that has given wrestling its biggest stars of the past decade. From CM Punk and Daniel Bryan to the likes of NXT Champion Samoa Joe and Universal Champion Kevin Owens, have all first proved themselves in ROH. Ring of Honor has their fingers on the pulse of the wrestling world and showcases some of the best talents on the planet.
ROH’s roster is incredibly diverse and unique with some of the most charismatic and athletic performers in all of professional wrestling. Some of them would be right at home with WWE’s New Era, while some others are perfect right where they are (that’s not a bad thing).
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So while the WWE might have their sights on guys like the Young Bucks, let’s take a look at other five ROH wrestlers that could easily make great WWE Superstars and could light the business on fire.
Adam Cole
The current ROH World Champion (as of this writing, anyways. He defends the title tonight against Kyle O’Reily at Final Battle) is a no-brainer choice to join the world of the WWE.
A two-time Ring of Honor World Champion and leader of the notorious wrestling faction, the Bullet Club, Adam Cole (Bay Bay) is just 27 years-old and has given Ring of Honor one of its greatest villains and some of its most memorable matches. With WWE scooping Roderick Strong, Cole seems like a fine addition to the NXT roster where his fanbase could exponentially grow larger.
If the Bucks do in fact sign, a caveat should be to bring Cole into the mix. ROH has been kind to Cole, but this star is ready to shine for all the universe to see. He’s a top-notch talent that has all the essentials down pat and could easily be a guy the company builds its future around.
Cheeseburger
Yes, it is the year 2016 and we have a wrestler who goes by the name of Cheeseburger. It’s a goofy gimmick by a guy who looks like he could use a burger or two to put some meat on his bones.
Cheeseburger personifies the out-of-his-league jobber, but still remains popular with ROH fans. Aside from his bubbling wrestling persona, Burger is also an assistant trainer at the ROH dojo, so you know the guy can lay it out in the ring if need be. He’s heavily popular in Japan with the kids and his size makes him the ultimate underdog in the race. Think James Ellsworth, but done correctly.
Think James Ellsworth, but done correctly.
WWE likes to pride themselves on entertainment and “skits” when applicable, and a guy like Cheeseburger would be an ideal match. So yeah, while it takes some imagination to take any of his matches seriously, he’s still very much sound in the ring and incredibly fun.
Jay Lethal
You’re looking at one of the best right here.
Starting his career in Ring of Honor in 2003 and eventually becoming a long-standing staple of the X Division in TNA, Lethal returned to the top-tier of Ring of Honor, eventually becoming ROH World Champion for more than a year. He is also the first and only man to hold both the World and Television Titles concurrently and the longest ROH TV Champion at 567 days.
Jay Lethal is in a league all his own. An almost two-decade veteran, everything has been leading to the moment of when Lethal nails the Lethal Injection on some fool in a WWE ring. He cuts solid promos as both a heel and a face and just at 31, he’s not even in his prime.
Either going solo or teamed up in a tag match, Jay Lethal is out to show off and prove it’s one of the very best around.
Dalton Castle
The Party Peacock himself, Dalton Castle.
Originally Ashleigh Remington in Chikara, the Dalton Castle gimmick is one that truly stands by itself. With an ultra flamboyant personality, Castle has taken the stereotypical tropes of what gay or at least bisexual characters have been in the past and went full Liberace. From the exotic fan boys to the dazzling attire, Castle has quickly made a name for himself in the year and a half he’s been in Ring of Honor.
As entertaining as he is, Castle is also a versatile performer in the ring that can do aerial moves as well as a grounded technician. He’s yet to hold any gold in Ring of Honor, and him without an exclusive contract, it would be fantastic to see Castle do his beautiful blue business in the WWE at some point. Maybe even getting his shine on in the cruiserweight division.
Bobby Fish
Being a part of the ROH Tag Team Champions ReDragon with Kyle O’Reily wasn’t good enough for Bobby Fish. Having broken out on his own and eventually claiming the ROH World Television Title, Bobby Fish is a man on a mission to conquer Ring of Honor wrestling, but what’s after that?
How about a match with Tye Dillinger or Dean Ambrose?
Fish has an exceptional lock on ring psychology and an awesome look as well (nobody wears a mouth guard better) and is the perfect fit for the NXT audience as well as the WWE at large. Having already become a big name in the likes of the Evolve and Pro Wrestling Noah promotions, Fish is beyond ready to take the next step in his professional career.
Having gone up against greats and then-future WWE prospects, Fish is definitely a guy to keep your eyes on in the coming year. Even with things possibly shifting around ROH, Fish could be in line for their ultimate prize, which could raise his stock that much more.
