Ring Of Honor COO Joe Koff, was recently interviewed by FanBuzz to discuss the success of ROH. Koff went over Cody Rhodes being the face of the company despite not exclusively signing a deal with them. Koff also provides some backstage insight on The Hardys vs. Young Bucks match during WrestleMania weekend at Ring Of Honor: Supercard Of Honor XI.
Here are the highlights:
Partnership Between ROH & NJPW:
“It really happened organically. We have very close alliances, we have a lot of our wrestlers wrestle for NJPW, I think it made sense for both promotions to promote together because the stars were used to working with these guys, they know their style, there was a comfort level that we can respect their space, they respect our space. Together, the sum is greater than the parts, together we’re a much stronger combo than if we were working independently. We were well aware of their shows coming to Long Beach this summer. We were very much involved in those shows from a production standpoints, from a help standpoint, from a talent standpoint. I expect they’ll be back in the U.S. sometime in 2018. I’m not sure that I feel that they’re ready to tour. I think they have presence here, they have presence with us, we’ll see how that develops. They’re strong over there, they know Japan and that market very well, they own that market. Coming to America is a little bit of a different business. They’ll learn it and if it makes sense for them to be here and touring and competing on that level then welcome to the U.S.”
Cody Rhodes Being The Ring Of Honor World Champion:
“These are guys that chose to leave WWE or not go to WWE to come to Ring of Honor. It’s very, very flattering. At the same time, it’s somewhat humbling because I have to deliver to them what they are expecting from a large scale promotion. Cody has been great, he’s been a great champion. There’s some side issues there; he’s still working independent companies, which we’re not thrilled about. We knew it, we accepted that as part of it. I said to my organization to challenge him to show him that he doesn’t need to be in those other places, this is where he should be. If we do that correctly, then he’ll make that right choice. If he doesn’t make that choice, then we’ll have to deal with that at that time.”
“If he wants to be in front of 10,000 seats, he’s going to have to be at ROH. There’s no other promotion that’s even near that in attracting on a regular basis. I love that goal and that’s another reason that he’s a great champion. He can see big and think big and he knows we can thrill that size of a crowd. It’s going to take a little work on our part, on his part, finding the right talent to fill that kind of venue. We had nearly 3,000 in Lakeland on WrestleMania weekend, 90 miles away. We can do it, we have the legs and the talent to do it. ”
The Hardys vs. The Young Bucks At Supercard Of Honor:
“That was great. I will tell you the process really and it speaks to Ring of Honor. The Young Bucks came to me and they said we have this idea and they told me that whole idea with the Hardyz. At the time, the Bucks are contracted to me, the Hardyz were contracted to TNA Impact at the time. I said this is a good idea, I think the Hardyz-Bucks match could have a lot of cache. My goal was only to do (the Bucks-Hardyz match) at WrestleMania weekend. We wanted to build the story and it (started) at Final Battle. It was the most amazing, dynamic, organic moment.”
“When they were no longer able to work out a deal with Impact, we immediately said come wrestle with us. We never had any term on it, we wanted to finish the angle, finish the story. The story really ended in Lakeland. It could have continued, we could have built that angle further, but it didn’t end in Lakeland because they were going to WWE, it ended in Lakeland because that’s where it ended. It happened because of them, because they wanted to do it. What it said to me was talent respects the creative freedoms that exist here and the ability to bring an idea to management and as long as everybody was satisfied from a legal and contractual standpoint, that’s how that happened. I will give the Young Bucks and the Hardyz full credit for that. It said a lot again of who we are as a company. We provided a place for the Young Bucks where they could do what they want to do, be as creative as they need to be, be as amazing as they choose to be and have a solid U.S. base and continue on whatever international dates they felt were important for them.”
Women Of Honor:
“Very proud of that. Women’s wrestling right now is probably better than it’s ever been. I think the reason for that is it’s becoming less of a gimmick match, it’s becoming something that’s fully fledged. I give the credit to the women. I always felt, even in business, when there is parity between men and women in how many are good and how many are bad, then they will rise to the top. We’re starting to see that now. Physical conditioning, athleticism, seriousness of craft, the level of performance, the level athleticism and the integrity to their craft has never been at a higher point. We’re proud of our women of honor. Ring of Honor is the main thrust. When the women can attain a level where the fans are willing to acknowledge them and respect them the same way, it’s coming. We’re not far from it, then Women of Honor will have a greater presence.”
Possibility Of Working With Global Force Wrestling:
“Impact needs to figure out who they are. I don’t envy them at all, they’ve gone through some really trying, challenging marketing times. I think that they’re finding their way out. They need to focus on their brand before we start getting involved in their brand. I’m pretty selfish about our brand, I don’t think there are a lot of other companies that understand our brand, the way we portray our brand, the way we position our brand, the way we do, it would take a while. The international companies are closer than not.”
Most Recently, Talents Like Adam Cole, Bobby Fish And Kyle O’Reilly Leaving ROH To Go To The WWE:
“We have an amazing locker room atmosphere. I think it’s because our senior wrestlers, Jay Briscoe, Christopher Daniels, Jay Lethal, these are very gracious athletes that are willing to share and give and to almost pay their careers forward, they’re not selfish at all. They’re not worried about someone stealing a spot, they understand who they are. A lot of this is perspective. The guys at the top, from a maturity level, they know exactly who they are, how they’re felt about, how they’re respected by management and all of us, that’s a great comfort. Because of that, they’re able to freely give their ideas and their skills to the next wrestlers coming up. That’s what Ring of Honor has always been, that’s the business, not just Ring of Honor. Wrestling is a very tight community, they want it to sustain. In order for it to sustain, people have to be pleased and amazed. With all that’s available, all the videos, if we can stay on top of it, we really must be doing something right. We’re just proliferated with wrestling everywhere. Quite frankly, a lot of it is the same stuff. For anyone to cut through the clutter, then you’re doing a good job.”
“It’s always going to be an issue if money is the motivator. The size of WWE allows them to do a lot more monetarily with the guys. I think everyone who works for ROH will tell you they’re making a very good living. They’re working 40 dates a year versus 200 dates a year. They have collaborative control, they’re involved creatively, they’re part of a family. That has a lot of value to a lot of people. The older guys probably understand it because they have a greater perspective than the younger guys who dreamed of being in WrestleMania and in that center stage, they all can’t get there, they can all try, but they’re not all going to get there. At some point maybe they’ll find out: ‘Wow, maybe there was no difference.’ They have to find that out for themselves. I liken it a lot to the Wizard of Oz; at the end of the movie, Dorothy had to find out herself that there was really no place like home. Ring of Honor is a home and it’s always been a home to the greatest wrestlers in the business and they’re always welcome home.”
