Ring of Honor COO Joe Koff on Possible AEW Partnership: 'It's Not The Right Time'

Back in December Cody Rhodes, The Young Bucks and Adam Page all officially left their home promotion of Ring of Honor. Within a month the group officially announced the launch of a new promotion, All Elite Wrestling, and by April it already has multiple events scheduled, a heavily-rumored television deal, a growing roster and a multi-billionaire in Tony Khan as its president and financial backer. Once AEW was officially announced, many fans wondered if the company would set up some sort of talent-sharing partnership with New Japan Pro Wrestling or Ring of Honor, given that the latter was a major player in all four men's careers and directly helped in running Rhodes and the Bucks' first promoted event, All In, back in September 2018.

Rhodes and The Bucks have repeatedly said they're open to working with any company, but ROH's position on a possible partnership was kept relatively quiet for months. But in a new interview with Comicbook.com, ROH COO Joe Koff firmly stated ROH's position in regards to working with AEW.

"We have had nothing but cordial conversations with Nick and Matt [Jackson] and Cody [Rhodes], of course," Koff said. "I think what's happening is they have to establish their brand and they are very brand-focused and Ring Of Honor is also a brand and it is very brand-focused. And I would never close the door to any situation with any promotion, as been proven by our working with so many promotions to date. I just think that we're early in the game to make a definitive statement that it is or it isn't.

"It's not the right time," he continued. "If the timing's right and if it makes sense for both brands, where both brands benefit from the joint promotion, then I think the conversations will be fine. There's absolutely only respect from our organization to what they're doing. We wish them unbelievable luck. Why wouldn't they be successful? These are very entrepreneurial, very successful guys. I'd be the first and last person to tell you I wish they were with us for Madison Square Garden [the G1 Supercard event on Saturday night], believe me. But they're following a dream and I've never stopped anyone from following a dream. And if they do it, and why wouldn't they do it, then more power to them in what they're trying to achieve."

ROH & NJPW present G1 Supercard on Saturday, April 6 from sold-out Madison Square Garden in New York City. The historic event airs LIVE at 7:30e/4:30p on traditional pay-per-view and streaming FREE for all HonorClub members. HonorClub content can be streamed via the ROH and FITE apps and at ROHHonorClub.com.

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