PWTorch.com - ROH FLASHBACK: First-ever ROH Champ determined 13 yrs. ago today - which four wrestlers were in the title match?

Torch Flashbacks
ROH FLASHBACK: First-ever ROH Champ determined 13 yrs. ago today - which four wrestlers were in the title match?

Jul 27, 2015 - 4:05:32 AM

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This Day In Wrestling History - July 27

Date: July 27, 2002 (13 years ago)

Event: Low Ki was crowned the first-ever Ring of Honor champion 13 years ago today. Ki topped Christopher Daniels, Doug Williams, and Brian Kendrick in an Iron Man match to become the first ROH champion.

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PWTorch Newsletter #716
Top 5 Stories of the Week
Low-Ki captures Ring of Honor title in 60 minute match
By Wade Keller, PWTorch editor

Low Ki became the first Ring of Honor Champion on Saturday night in a match that many in attendance are calling a "match of the year." He faced Christopher Daniels, Spanky, and Doug Williams in a 60-minute marathon match July 27 in Philadelphia, Pa. at Viking Hall (a/k/a ECW Arena).

Ring of Honor events, which have helped fill the void left by ECW's demise, has concentrated on lighter-weight wrestlers in highspot-oriented matches and has earned a reputation for putting on at least one outstanding X-Division style match each month.

Low Ki's win is being called the best ROH match to date. Williams had Low-Ki in his signature submission hold as the 60 minute time limit expired, and because Low Ki didn't submit, he was ahead on points (two points were scored for each pinfall or submission during the match).

Afterward, the biggest crowd to date for an ROH show (about 400) gave the four wrestlers an extended standing ovation. "My words cannot do the match justice, just a once-in-a-lifetime match," says TORCH correspondent Thomas A. Bobo. "I drove 12 hours from Michigan to see the show and it was worth every minute. ROH is a great alternative for people who really want to see very good, athletic wrestling and intelligent storylines. Great work by all four, but Ki and Daniels were the stars."

TORCH correspondent Scott Alessi says: "This was the first Ring of Honor show I've attended and I went in expecting a blowaway match in the main event and I wasn't disappointed. Those four guys went non-stop for 60 minutes, held the audience for the entire time, and proved they are four of the best in the business today. Overall, an excellent show." An exhausted Low Ki posed with the title after the match.

[Torch photo credit Wade Keller (c) PWTorch.com]