ROH Survival of the Fittest 2011/2015: Michael Elgin
2011’s tournament winner would be none other than Michael Elgin. Elgin would defeat Adam Cole, Kenny King, and Tommaso Ciampa in a Four Corner Survival Match to qualify for the finals. He would go on to defeat Jay Briscoe, Eddie Edwards, Mark Briscoe, Roderick Strong, and Kyle O’Reilly to win the 2011 tournament. Elgin would receive his championship match at ROH Showdown In The Sun where he would lose to then-ROH World Champion, Davey Richards. Despite this, Elgin would pick up the ROH World Championship in a match against Adam Cole at ROH Best In The World 2014. Elgin would hold the belt for 99 days before losing it to Jay Briscoe at ROH All-Star Extravaganza VI.
Elgin would win the tournament for a second time in 2015 as well, becoming the only two-time winner in ROH history. In his qualifying match, Elgin would defeat Adam Cole and Moose in a three-way match. In the finals, Elgin would defeat ACH, Christopher Daniels, Jay Briscoe, and Silas Young. Elgin would receive his championship match at NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 10, where he would lose to then-ROH World Champion, Jay Lethal.
After leaving ROH in 2016, Elgin would make appearances in PWG and other independent promotions. He would also make appearances in New Japan Pro Wrestling, where he would win the IWGP Intercontinental Championship and NEVER Openweight Championship. He would leave NJPW in 2019, and begin wrestling for Impact Wrestling. On June 22, 2020, it was announced that Elgin was suspended from Impact Wrestling due to allegations made within pro wrestling’s Speaking Out movement. His contract would be terminated four days later.
Michael Elgin’s most recent match took place at Ian Rotten’s IWA Mid-South Promotion on February 21, 2021, where he would defeat Vincent Nothing.
